Newcastle United Secure Seeded Champions League Play-Off Spot with Gritty Draw in Paris
Newcastle United clinched a seeded play-off place in the Champions League after securing a creditable 1-1 draw against holders Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday 28 January 2026. The result, which mirrored the scoreline from two years ago, was achieved through resilience and a crucial equaliser from Joe Willock.
Dramatic Start Sees Pope Deny Dembele from the Spot
The match exploded into controversy within the first minute when referee Slavko Vincic, after consulting the pitchside monitor on VAR official Christian Dingert's advice, awarded PSG a penalty. Nick Pope, however, produced a stunning save to his left to deny Ousmane Dembélé's spot-kick, setting the tone for a night of defiance from the Magpies.
Despite this early reprieve, Newcastle fell behind just eight minutes in. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia found Vitinha on the edge of the box, and the midfielder was afforded too much space to cut inside Lewis Hall and fire precisely into the bottom corner, giving PSG a deserved lead.
Willock's Timely Header Brings Newcastle Level
Eddie Howe's side, featuring five changes including the return of Dan Burn from a fractured rib and punctured lung sustained in December's Wear-Tyne derby, weathered a significant PSG onslaught. Pope was called into action again to save from Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia, whose evening ended prematurely after a painful clash with Anthony Elanga in the 20th minute.
Against the run of play, Newcastle found an equaliser in first-half stoppage time. From a Sandro Tonali free-kick, Marquinhos' defensive header fell kindly, and after Dan Burn's clever flick, Joe Willock powered a header past goalkeeper Matvei Safonov. This marked Willock's first goal since an FA Cup tie at Birmingham on 8 February 2025, almost a year to the day.
Second-Half Resilience Seals Vital Point
Bolstered by the goal, Newcastle emerged with greater confidence after the break. Jacob Ramsey tested Safonov early, and Willock thought he had scored a second, only for it to be ruled out for offside after a quickly-taken free-kick by Lewis Hall.
PSG, seeking to regain their advantage, pressed forward with Dembélé curling an effort just wide and Vitinha forcing another save from Pope. However, Newcastle's defence held firm under pressure, with Marquinhos producing a last-ditch block to deny Ramsey after substitutes Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes combined threateningly.
Barnes himself went close in the dying moments, forcing Safonov into a save before shooting into the side-netting as he and Gordon caused problems late on. Ultimately, the draw proved sufficient for Newcastle to secure a seeded position in the upcoming play-offs, a significant achievement on a night where only victory seemed likely to suffice for a top-eight finish.
