robert lewandowski is in FC Barcelona’s starting lineup for the Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Newcastle, with kickoff set for 6: 45 PM ET. The decision comes as Barcelona still look to lean on robert lewandowski for goals, even as recent assessments have focused on a missed clear chance and a subdued first-half showing. The match is being played at Camp Nou, where five goals were scored in the first 45 minutes of another Barcelona game referenced in the latest reaction.
Lineup call made: robert lewandowski starts, bench prediction fails
Barcelona’s starting XI for the Newcastle rematch includes robert lewandowski, after pre-match expectations that he could begin on the bench did not materialize. The lineup named for the match is: Joan Garcia, Cancelo, Cubarsi, Pedri, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Fermin, Gerard Martin, Bernal, Eric.
The substitutes listed are: Araujo, Gavi, Ferran Torres, Rashford, Casado, Olmo, Szczęsny, Roony, Kochen, Cortes, Xavi Espart, Tommy.
The earlier idea that Ferran Torres might start in his place was tied to what appeared to be the coaching staff’s preferred look in training games, but the official XI shows Barcelona keeping robert lewandowski in the opening group for this decisive night.
Missed chance and blunt halftime verdict sharpen pressure on Robert Lewandowski
robert lewandowski entered the rematch facing pointed criticism from recent match evaluations. In the first half at Camp Nou referenced in the latest commentary, Barcelona saw five goals scored in the opening 45 minutes, with Raphinha hitting the first in the sixth minute. Even so, the reaction focused on robert lewandowski failing to convert what was described as a major opportunity, with a direct assessment that he “wasted a clear chance. ”
The broader tone has been that Barcelona continue to count on robert lewandowski, but that Raphinha and other stars have overshadowed his impact in that opening period.
Separately, criticism also followed Barcelona’s most recent match against Newcastle, where robert lewandowski was described by English journalist Craig Hope as barely present on the pitch and having only one chance, which he missed. That critique landed alongside the wider point that Barcelona, as a team, did not play well in that game.
What is at stake tonight: tie level after first leg, quarterfinal path set
The first meeting between FC Barcelona and Newcastle ended 1–1, leaving the tie open heading into the second leg at 6: 45 PM ET. Barcelona struggled for long stretches in that first match and appeared close to defeat after an 86th-minute goal for the hosts, before Lamine Yamal rescued the result with a penalty in the final action of the game.
The winner of this two-leg tie will face Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals, placing added weight on every selection and every missed chance. For Barcelona, the immediate question is whether robert lewandowski can turn minutes and positioning into the kind of decisive contribution the team still needs, after recent moments that have drawn harsh, early judgments.
Next up is the match itself at 6: 45 PM ET, with the spotlight fixed on execution in the box—and on whether robert lewandowski can answer the criticism with an impact that matches Barcelona’s ambitions in this Champions League run.
