Newcastle will need some of that Asprilla magic to stun Barca again tonight

"I've lived many nights in football, but there are moments you never forget. I remember what it feels like to play in this shirt, to feel that energy lift me higher and higher. This club, every stone, every seat, is built on belief. And people here, they don't just watch football. They feel it. They live it. They breathe it."

Those inspirational words are coming from none other than Faustino Asprilla, as the legendary Colombian forward is about to set foot tonight at St. James' Park, to watch his former side, Newcastle United, face Barcelona in the opening game of the new Champions League season.

Twenty-eight years ago, that same Asprilla stunned the Catalan giants by scoring a hat-trick to knock down titans, 3-0 in the Magpies' first-ever UCL match. What a start to a journey, and what a chance tonight to relive all those magnificent memories as the two sides meet again, at the same venue.

"I've seen giants fall beneath the weight of belief," adds Asprilla, now 55, in a video published by Newcastle United on social media this Thursday. "The names may change. The shirts may change, but the flame never dies. This is Newcastle United. Get into them!" concludes Tino, who'll be there in the stands tonight to support the new generation of black and whites ready to confront the all-mighty Blaugrana.

Then, there were Rivaldo, Luis Enrique, Figo, and others. Tonight, Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Pedri will be there...

Once again, the hosts are underdogs, but that doesn't mean Eddie Howe's boys will show up with a white flag. On the contrary...

Maybe it's time for Nick Woltemade to transform into Asprilla and show the favourites that your titles and silverware don't mean much at mythical St. James' Park.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 1

Tuesday

Athletic Bilbao - Arsenal 0-2 (0-0)

/Martinelli 72, Trossard 87/

PSV - St. Gilloise 1-3 (0-2)

/Van Bommel 90 - David 9 pen, Ait El Hadj 39, Mac Allister 81/

Benfica - Qarabag 2-3 (2-1)

/Barrenechea 6, Pavlidis 16 - Andrade 30, Duran 48, Kashchuk 86/

Juventus - Dortmund 4-4 (0-0)

/Yildiz 64, Vlahovic 68, 90+4, Kelly 90+6 - Adeyemi 52, Nmecha 65, Couto 75, Bensebaini 83 pen/

Real Madrid - Olympique Marseille 2-1 (1-1)

/Mbappe 29 pen, 81 pen - Weah 22/

Tottenham - Villarreal 1-0 (1-0)

/Luiz Junior 4 og/

Wednesday

Olympiacos - Paphos 0-0

Slavia Prague - Bodo 2-2 (1-0)

/Mbodji 23, 74 - Bassi 78, Fet 90/

Ajax - Inter 0-2 (0-1)

/Thuram 42, 47/

Bayern - Chelsea 3-1 (2-1)

/Chalobah 20 og, Kane 27 pen, 63 - Palmer 29/

Liverpool - Atletico Madrid 3-2 (2-1)

/Robertson 4, Salah 6, Van Dijk 90+2 - Llorente 45+3, 81/

PSG - Atalanta 4-0 (2-0)

/Marquinhos 3, Khvicha 39, Mendes 51, Ramos 90+1/

Thursday

19.45: (2.80) Club Brugge (3.40) Monaco (2.50)

19.45: (3.20) Copenhagen (3.40) Leverkusen (2.25)

22.00: (2.10) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.50) Galatasaray (3.40)

22.00: (1.70) Man.City (3.60) Napoli (5.30)

22.00: (3.15) Newcastle (3.50) Barcelona (2.20)

22.00: (1.08) Sporting (12.0) Kairat Almaty (25.0)

***odds are subject to change***