Newcastle have just been drawn against Portuguese side Benfia in the Europa League quarter finals.
The rest of the draw was as follows:
Fenerbahce v Lazio
Tottenham v Basel
Chelsea v Rubin Kazan
So the three English teams avoided each other, and there’s now a chance of having three English teams in the semi-finals.
This is not a bad draw for Newcastle, and we could have drawn a more difficult side, so we must have a decent chance of getting through to the last four for the first time since the great Bobby Robson took us there in 2004 against Marseilles.
Bottom line – we must stand an excellent chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Newcastle will travel to Lisbon in the first-leg on Thursday, 4th April (just less than three weeks time), and then we play the second leg at home – which is an advantage – on Thursday, 11th April.
The quarter final draw for the Champions League ended up as follows:
Bayern Munich v Juventus
PSG v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Galatasaray
Malaga v Dortmund
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98 comments so far
Rainrix
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #1Not the best not the worse. Have to beat strong teams if you want to win. HWTL!
barkintoonfan9
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #2fisrt
decent draw celtic beat the, so we should be able too!!
toon army
NUFC_LEAZES END
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #3Looks like we’ll have two away games at the stadium of shite lads!!!
spitfire_
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #4The second leg is a days before the game against the scum… so no travel which is good.
JAMSHA
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #5yessssss we get benfica
lewytoon
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #6us vs lazio in semi hopefully 😛
excited
~ Phoenix Warrior Perch~
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #7Benfica
top of the portugese league
Unbeaten in 22 games.
18 wins 4 Draw’s 0 Loses.
….
barkintoonfan9
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #8sorry for the spelling mistakes so excited hahah!!
barkel
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Comment #9Tough draw but I dont think there are any easy games left. Score draw in Portugal and take them back to St James’ and rip them apart!
HTL!! Toon toon
Shot Bru
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Comment #10Cool Draw…..better than drawing the english teams and better than playing in an empty stadium in rome or istanbul
El Sleeve
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Comment #11its more than doable. worry about who we’d get in the semi’s
could be shaping up for an all english final
Carryingcoals
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Comment #12ibiza im worried, throw me some optimism!
Jonny
Mar 15, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Comment #13Good team and good match
DokToon
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #14i like the draw…
roshan MAGPIE
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #15phoenix that’s Portuguese league even anzhi had such record in there league and in Europe but we did beat them and didn’t even conceded a goal
Joe Blog
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #16Good, finally a proper European tie against a ‘classic’, elite European team.
65,000 at their ground and hopefully a sell-out back at St James’.
NUFC_LEAZES END
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #17Is anyone saving their money up for Amsterdam in may??? 😉
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #18Carrying…Did you catch it? My aim is a little suspect at times 🙂
No one thought we’d get this far, but here we are. Certainly doable, I only see reasons to be optimistic…we’re in the quarters…let’s just enjoy it.
Munster Mag
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Comment #19Benfica – wow!! The real Stadium of Light. We will have to improve a lot to have a chance though. I reckon Benfica will be pleased to draw us. Such excitement!!! Howay the lads – I’m shaking from watching the draw. !!!
DevonMag
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Comment #20Repost:
obviously a very, very tough draw. But it’s a GLAMOUR draw lads and that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? Chuffed we don’t have to play the English boys. Benfica in a European quarter final? Err, yes please!
And we’re home second leg. Frankly, I’m bored of the Maritimo/Kharkiv/Brugges ties, Anzhi are the best team we’ve played and I’m older than them FFS! Obviously would have preferred to draw a big boy in the semis/final but Spurs have already put Lyon and Inter out so if we want to win the cup this is the calibre of team we should be beating. Buzzing!
Transfer Sage I said to my old man last night ‘I hope we get Lazio or Benfica.’ He wanted Chelsea the numpty…
WesJameson
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Comment #21@ ~ Phoenix Warrior Perch~ // Mar 15, 2013 at 11:57 AM
WOW, well spotted, tough game, tough team…BUT 100% do-able
HOWAY!!!
LeToonARMY
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #22I dont think they are better then last nights team in all honesty. Benfica have lots of Brazilians and we just beat a team like that without the light s of Krul, Ben Arfa and Cabaye not to mention they had Et’o on their team so lets get all our players fit and lets march our way to the semi’ Howay the lads. Toon Army
Carryingcoals
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #23In all seriousness they are a strong side but I believe we can beat them. We will have Tim Krul back by then and HBA should be fitter and readier. We are a good team and disciplined at the back. Why not eh?
Let’s do it!
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Comment #24Carrying…That a boy 🙂
santonthenewmaldini
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Comment #25Yeah very happy with the draw by that time we should be pretty much safe in the league and Arfa should be playing as well so we have a good chance
Celtic beat Benfica and they are not the force they used to be the way we defend in Europe makes us very difficult to score against and Benfica will struggle to break us down can see us winning 1 or 2 nil on aggregate will be close games again
Joe Blog
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Comment #26Who cares about their stats in their league? Them and Porto have stats like that every year.
Rainrix
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Comment #27Is it true we’ve never played benfica competitively? Just seen that on the official site 🙂
DokToon
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #28am beginning the ban on all things portuguese inmy house and my local… lol…
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #29So not Basle as hoped but a great trip to Portugal in spring.
I have often criticised Pardew but I thought he was brave last night in his team selection, dropping Simmo and Jonas and was also quite inspired putting Campbell on to turn up the Geordie roar just at the right time.
It’s great that while Benny has been injured, Marveaux has started coming to the fore. His passes to Ba V Arsenal, to Cisse v Stoke and last night were absolute top drawer quality. What a player we potentially have played in the right position. Players like him are priceless. Somehow have to get him in the team with that ability and brain to unlock things
Big Krul fan but love how Elliot gets on with it with his quick passes out to get things in motion.
Also MYM – the black Woodgate. Sheer class
Bambams
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #30Playing a real European club….. Must admit I dont think we will get away with only scoring one goal against this team.
Would love to go to this one (Benfica), think Mrs Bambam might need convincing. ….
Transfer Sage
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #31Great game.
A proper European tie. Big crowds home and away.
I think it is possible….I think we are better than celtic and they have shown that a bit of luck and fight and you can beat these bigger teams.
We have a fair chance to go through but at the same time it’s a game we should just try to enjoy, win or lose.
Munster Mag
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:10 PM
Comment #32I’m so excited!!!! Mind you, we wont have a prayer if we dont start creating a few more chances.
Transfer Sage
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Comment #33rotonda
My only criticism of last night was putting campbell more left side, not his natural position and it’s hard enough making your 3rd game when in your right position.
Can see why he did it though, pace out on the flank and somebody who knows where the goal is…and your right gave the crowd a lift.
Just a slight criticism but loved the adventurous team that was put out.
TheToonKing
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Comment #34Benfica is probably the best team left in this competition. They are CL material . But then again so was Anzhi
We’ll need luck, but we can beat them. Extremely difficult though.
Minato
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Comment #35Tough draw…but I think we can do it….for the record Celtic lost and drew to Benfica in the group stages… 0-0 at home and lost 2-1 away. Not that it matters anyway…
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Comment #36NUFC Leazes end
I didn’t want to tempt fate but could you just imagine winning it in Amsterdam. It’d be the biggest party and black and white invasion ever.
lesh
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Comment #37sounds good if for no other reason that Portugal’s warmer than Basel, Istanbul or wherever Ruben Khazan is, at the mo! Pity that Chelski and Sperz weren’t drawn to play each other tho! I’d. like to see Sperz go out in any event!!!
dcdick
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Comment #38Best draw possible for me………..Benfica v Toon ….
Brilliant !!!!!
Starting to get excited now 🙂
martoon
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Comment #39We’ll have to play Shola in the away leg – he loves scoring at the stadium of light 🙂
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Comment #40Munster
Somehow we have to get Benny and Marv in the same team if we want to create anything, even if it means moving Sissoko back to the position we originally bought him for.