Newcastle United FC are daring to dream in the Champions League after sweeping into the last 16 with confidence and conviction. A 3-2 win over Qarabag FK sealed a commanding 9-3 aggregate triumph and underlined a belief growing inside St James’ Park that this adventure is far from over.

From players to manager, the message is clear. They fear no one.

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When asked whether he preferred FC Barcelona or Chelsea FC in the last 16, Jacob Murphy did not hesitate.

“Anyone. Honestly, with this group of players, we will take anyone on. Especially with knockout football, we back ourselves. Bring on whoever's to come.”

That response was not bravado. It was a reflection of a dressing room that has matured rapidly on the European stage.

Head coach Eddie Howe echoed the sentiment.

“We have to believe in ourselves. We have seen the best of ourselves when we have gone into cup games and one-off games, where we have been able to rise to whatever challenge we have had in front of us. We will have to go in with that mindset again, whoever we get in the next round.”

For a club that waited two decades to return to Europe’s elite competition, Newcastle now speak like seasoned contenders.

Newcastle’s numbers back up the confidence. They are the top scorers in this season’s Champions League with 26 goals and have recorded six wins in a single European campaign for the first time in their history.

That attacking output has come against varied opposition including Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Club, Union Saint-Gilloise and Qarabag FK. These were not routine fixtures. Qarabag, for example, had taken points off Chelsea FC and beaten both Benfica and Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the competition.

Newcastle did not just edge them. They overpowered them.

The Magpies also demonstrated their pedigree away from home. A 1-1 draw against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital was a statement result, while a narrow 2-1 defeat to FC Barcelona on matchday one showed they could live with Europe’s elite.

Defender Dan Burn summed up the mood in his programme notes.

“We've shown that, especially against Paris Saint-Germain, how good we can be. I think we elevate our game going into those games because there are bigger, better teams at this stage of the competition.”

That ability to elevate performance levels on the biggest nights is what defines knockout football.

The transformation in mood over the past fortnight has been striking.

Earlier this month, Newcastle were booed off after a 3-2 Premier League defeat to Brentford FC at St James’ Park. In the aftermath, Eddie Howe admitted he was not doing his job “well enough”. It was a rare public moment of introspection from a manager who has overseen a remarkable rebuild.

Behind the scenes, there was soul searching.

The players responded emphatically. Newcastle have since won four of their last five matches in all competitions and surged into the Champions League knockout phase.

There was talk that Premier League wealth should make such progress inevitable. Yet this campaign has been anything but straightforward. Even Tottenham Hotspur, who have struggled domestically, navigated the league phase successfully. European competition remains fiercely competitive, regardless of revenue disparities.

Newcastle’s progression has been earned through intensity, organisation and a clinical edge in front of goal.

This group is no longer wide-eyed.

Two seasons ago, lining up at the San Siro against AC Milan as the Champions League anthem rang out felt like a moment of awe. Many in this squad were experiencing Europe’s top competition for the first time.

Now, they feel they belong.

The so-called group of death campaign against Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan hardened them. The experience of high-pressure matches has been reinforced domestically too, most notably with last season’s Carabao Cup triumph over Liverpool FC, ending a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.

Winning breeds belief.

Those nights have reshaped the collective psychology. Newcastle are no longer participants. They are competitors.

Cup football has often brought the best out of this side under Eddie Howe. The manager himself has pointed to their ability to rise to one-off challenges.

The Champions League last 16 is precisely that environment.

Former striker Dwight Gayle understands the mentality inside the dressing room.

“Knowing all of the boys in the dressing room, they will be excited about who they get in the next round. They will buzz off someone like Barcelona and that will create an unbelievable tie. To continue this run is perfect for them and they will be hungry for more.”

That hunger is visible in their play. The pressing is sharper. The transitions are quicker. The attacking combinations are fluid and fearless.

Newcastle have shown they can go toe to toe with continental heavyweights. They have also demonstrated resilience when games become chaotic, as seen in the second leg against Qarabag when changes were made and control wavered.

Howe acknowledged there is room for improvement. That may be the most dangerous element of all.

While Europe brings glamour, domestic consistency remains a challenge. Newcastle sit 11th in the Premier League and must improve if they are to secure European qualification again next season.

The balancing act between Champions League ambition and league form will define the coming months.

Yet rather than distraction, Europe appears to be energising the squad. The intensity of these nights seems to sharpen focus rather than dilute it.

If Newcastle can channel that momentum into their Premier League campaign, the narrative of their season could shift dramatically.

St James’ Park has rediscovered its European heartbeat. The floodlights, the anthem, the belief that something special could unfold.

Newcastle United’s Champions League campaign is no longer about participation. It is about possibility.

They have scored freely. They have competed with the very best. They have shown resilience after setbacks. Most importantly, they have embraced the challenge rather than feared it.

The last 16 draw will not be met with trepidation.

It will be met with anticipation.

And if Jacob Murphy and Eddie Howe are to be believed, whoever emerges from that draw will know they are in for a battle.

Newcastle are not just happy to be here.

They are ready for anyone.