AI predicts Newcastle United's 2025/26 potential Champions League opponents ahead of crucial Chelsea clash

Newcastle United can take a big step towards securing a place in next season’s Champions League when they host top five rivals Chelsea on Sunday lunchtime.

With Liverpool already confirmed as Premier League champions and landing their spot at European football’s top table once again, there remains another four Champions League places up for grabs during the final three weeks of the season - and six clubs remain in the hunt ahead of another pivotal weekend.

City will be the first of the contenders to be handed a chance to deliver a blow on their fellow contenders when they visit already relegated Southampton on Saturday afternoon before Aston Villa look to move level on points with the top five when they travel to eighth placed Bournemouth just hours later. Following Newcastle’s midday kick-off with Chelsea on Sunday, Forest will hope to boost their hopes of landing a Champions League spot with a home win against a Leicester City side already focusing on life in the Championship before Arsenal head to champions Liverpool knowing they could be under serious pressure by the time they walk out at Anfield.

Newcastle remain one of the favourites to return to the Champions League and some have suggested they will officially claim a top five spot if they can collect maximum points from their final two home games of the season - but who does AI tool Grok 3 believe the Magpies could face if they were to land a spot in European football’s elite for the second time in Eddie Howe’s reign?

Who does AI predict Newcastle United could face in the 2025/26 Champions League?

1. Liverpool (England) 2. Arsenal (England) 3. Manchester City (England) 4. Newcastle United (England) 5. Chelsea (England, EPS) 6. Real Madrid (Spain) 7. Barcelona (Spain) 8. Atlético Madrid (Spain) 9. Athletic Club (Spain) 10. Villarreal (Spain, EPS) 11. Inter (Italy) 12. Napoli (Italy) 13. Juventus (Italy) 14. Atalanta (Italy) 15. Bayern Munich (Germany) 16. Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 17. Borussia Dortmund (Germany) 18. RB Leipzig (Germany) 19. Paris Saint-Germain (France) 20. AS Monaco (France) 21. Lille (France) 22. Ajax (Netherlands) 23. PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) 24. Benfica (Portugal) 25. Sporting CP (Portugal) 26. Club Brugge (Belgium) 27. Galatasaray (Türkiye) 28. Slavia Prague (Czechia) 29. Tottenham Hotspur (England, Europa League winner) 30. FC Copenhagen (Denmark, Champions Path) 31. Celtic (Scotland, Champions Path) 32. Crvena Zvezda (Serbia, Champions Path) 33. Qarabağ (Azerbaijan, Champions Path) 34. Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, Champions Path) 35. Feyenoord (Netherlands, League Path) 36. Rangers (Scotland, League Path)

What has Eddie Howe said about Newcastle United’s push for the Champions League?

Speaking after Sunday’s draw at Brighton, the Magpies boss said: "Today was a really battling performance. We were pretty good apart from around the box – but the majority of the performance I was really pleased. We were chasing, desperately trying to win. We were going for it which I think we have to in our position and I'm proud of how we fought back in the game.

"It's all to play for. We have three very tough games in different ways. Two of them are at home and we hope that can make the difference. I've no major criticism other than maybe we were not creative enough and not at our clinical best in front of goal. When you're 1-0 down you have to be grateful for the point. We're certainly stronger with it than without it. I felt that months back, you know it's going to go to the wire, it's going to go to the end because you've got top quality teams, all fighting for a massive prize. We just hope to be in there and we'll do our best to try and achieve it."

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