After kick-off was delayed by several minutes, it's been a positive start from Spurs. Igor Tudor's side pushed forward straight from kick-off with Atleti unable to get a kick.

Excellent stuff from Newcastle as a second corner for the hosts causes problems and Dan Burn just misses what would be a tap in before Barcelona scramble away.

Positive start by Newcastle as Anthony Elanga takes on Joao Cancelo before sending a cross in that concerns Joan García enough that he pushes behind for a corner.

Elizabeth Conway
BBC Sport Spanish football reporter

A huge Atletico motif is displayed across hundreds of fans.

In bright yellow, red and white colours, it reads 'De tus colores me enamore' which translates to 'I fell in love with your colours'.

We're under way in tonight's three 20:00 GMT Champions League kick-offs.

The atmosphere at the Estadio Metropolitano is electric.

A sold out home crowd is in fine voice as they greet the teams with a huge red, white and blue choreography covering the whole stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

It will be a big ask for Tottenham to take an aggregate lead into next week's second leg in north London.

Atletico Madrid have never lost a Champions League knockout stage game under Diego Simeone at either their former home, the Vicente Calderon (seven wins, four draws), or their current home, the Riyadh Air Metropolitano (six wins, two draws).

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

St James' Park is rocking.

Fireworks are being let off into the skies.

Newcastle United supporters are chanting "Toon! Toon! Black and white army!" as Thunderstruck plays out of the speakers.

A huge banner has even been unfurled in the Gallowgate End, which reads: "Geordie boys are taking over. Budapest awaits for me."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor speaking to TNT Sports before the match: "Not many training sessions [since the last game], we use them to work on everything. We want to see progress, doing better things.

"Some players are back. I have a good feeling. I hope today we can change things. In the Champions league the boys have done good things, so let's continue.

"It's [Champions League] a nice distraction, but it's also a competition in which we want to do our best. We come here and compete. The goal is progress. The players are motivated."

On Antonin Kinsky starting in goal over Guglielmo Vicario: "I choose today what I think is best for the team in this moment. Today this is the first XI. There is also the second game, there is space for everyone."

As backdrops for Champions League football go, the Estadio Metropolitano isn't bad is it?

Image source, Getty Images

Keith Gillespie was part of the iconic Newcastle side that famously beat Barcelona 3-2 back in 1997 and he's hoping the current squad are being spoken about in the same light 30 years from now after a positive result tonight.

Listen to Gillespie below:

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 live

I think there will be lots of goals because of the way that both teams have defended, particularly Newcastle have been really poor defensively this season and Barcelona play this high line.

I've watched them, worked on Barcelona a couple of times this season, particularly when they played at Stamford Bridge, when they scored three goals and could've been a lot more.

If Newcastle get their system right tonight and I'm pretty sure they'll play a lot of pace up front because that reason then I think they will cause them problems.

But it's at the other end that we have to try and keep them out. With the attacking talent that Barcelona have, that's easier said than done.

I think it'll be a high-scoring game. That means hopefully goals. I'm going to be a romantic and go for another 3-2 win for Newcastle.

It's not all doom and gloom, Spurs fans.

Tottenham have won their last three Champions League games without conceding a single goal.

They have never previously won four consecutive games in the competition, nor kept four clean sheets in a row.

Image source, Getty Images

It seems to be said increasingly often these days, but Harry Kane goes into this game with history in his sights.

The 32-year-old - who has shaken off the calf problem which kept him out of Friday's league game with Monchengladbach - has scored an extraordinary 45 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions for Bayern this season and, should he add another two tonight, would become the first British player to reach 50 goals in the Champions League, and just the 11th man to do so overall.

Kane has eight goals in as many appearances in the competition this season, behind only Kylian Mbappe’s 13 and, yes, Anthony Gordon, with 10.

Former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca has three for Atalanta but will be seeking to score in a fourth straight European home game while ex-Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac will look to spoil Kane’s evening - Kane scored twice for Tottenham in six appearances against the Bosnian for the Gunners and former team Marseille, but both came from the penalty spot.

Image source, Getty Images

Atletico Madrid are in a good moment after a mixed start to 2026.

Diego Simeone's side have won their last three La Liga matches, though they are third in the table and 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

Two weeks ago Atleti dispatched of an impressive Club Brugge side 4-1 to reach the Champions League last-16.

They have a Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad to look forward to after beating Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals, though they did lose 3-0 in the second leg last week.

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

Image source, Getty Images

Eddie Howe is not one for bold statements, but even the measured Newcastle head coach described this match as the biggest in the club’s recent history.

Howe knows his players need to go into this first leg of this Champions League last 16 tie with such a mentality if they are to raise their game and have any chance of progressing past Barcelona.

His words also felt a message to the supporters, too, who are sure to give Barcelona a hostile welcome.

"When you think of big European home games, like Paris St-Germain a couple of years ago, the atmosphere you created in the stands gave us a platform for the result," goalkeeper Nick Pope writes in his programme notes.

"it played a massive part in the performance on the night, and getting such a positive result. I'm sure everyone on the pitch will be bang up for it tonight and so will everyone off it."

Barcelona will have an idea of what to expect.

It was just 174 days ago that Hansi Flick’s team defeated Newcastle 2-1 in the opening game of the league phase on Tyneside.

After a testing opening, Barcelona kept the ball expertly, leaving their mark on one or two of Newcastle’s players, who rated the La Liga leaders as the best side they had played against when it came to stopping their intense press.

What a night is in store tonight as these sides renew acquaintances.

This may be a huge night for Tottenham, but manager Igor Tudor has gone for youth over experience.

At 25 years and 24 days, this is Spurs' youngest average starting XI in a Champions League knockout stage match.

Former Newcastle defender John Anderson says Anthony Gordon's exclusion from the starting line-up is a "big blow" for Eddie Howe's side.

William Osula leads the Magpies attack in what has been described as a "big show" by BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck.

Listen to John Anderson and Matthew Raisbeck's full team news reaction below:

Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5Live

Galatasaray are street-wise. They made things so uncomfortable for Liverpool tonight.

You never know who is going to turn up for Liverpool on the night but Arne Slot will be disappointed.