The teenager has been a big loss for Newcastle.
Newcastle United midfielder Lewis Miley is hopeful he will be able to return from injury to face Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The 19-year-old has not featured for Newcastle since their 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on January 28, their final game of the league phase in Europe’s top club competition, having suffered a dead leg that has caused a more significant problem than would typically be expected.
Miley had impressed both in midfield and, arguably more pertinently, as a makeshift right-back in the absence of Tino Livramento.
Livramento is nearing a return from a hamstring injury but the unavailability of both him and Miley has placed a significant strain on 35-year-old Kieran Trippier on right side of a defence that has proved vulnerable for much of the campaign.
Miley targeting Barcelona return
Miley won the 2025 North East Football Writers’ Association Young Men’s Player of the Year on Sunday, and, speaking after the ceremony, he explained his injury.
“It’s getting there now,” he said in quotes reported by The Chronicle. “I got a knock to my leg and it’s caused some muscle damage.
“It’s been very frustrating but hopefully I am back out there soon and doing what I love.”
Miley added that he expects to miss Wednesday’s game with Manchester United, the FA Cup tie with Manchester City on Saturday, the first leg of the Barcelona tie at St James’ Park and the Premier League trip to Chelsea.
However, he is relishing the potential of returning in time for the visit to Camp Nou as Newcastle look to spring a huge surprise in a mouthwatering tie with the LaLiga champions. Newcastle faced Barca in their opening league phase game and suffered a 2-1 defeat in a pulsating game settled by a Marcus Rashford double.
Miley did not feature in that game but appeared in every other league phase match, starting against Benfica and PSG and scoring in the 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen. Newcastle thrashed Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate in the play-off round in his absence.
“I’ll hopefully be back before the international break and hopefully back for a couple of games before that,” Miley said. “I am hoping for the Barcelona away game. It will be a very good game to be back for.
“I was in really good form when I was playing, it’s been frustrating with the time when it came – but I need to be positive, keep looking forward and look forward to the games when I’m back.”
Miley a Newcastle bright spot
Despite his injury, Miley is still thrilled with the strides he has made this season, even as Newcastle have often struggled for form in the Premier League, Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Everton leaving them a hugely underwhelming 13th in the table.
“It’s a massive honour to win the award and being recognised,” Miley told newcastleunited.com of his award win.
“It’s been a positive season for me so far, playing a lot of minutes in so many different positions, which is good. It’s been a great challenge.
“It always puts you in good stead to play in different positions. It was unexpected being told I was playing at right-back against Fulham [in the EFL Cup], but I took in my stride and tried to perform as well as I could.”
Miley has played in 30 games this season, starting 16. He has scored three goals and provided three assists. With influential midfielder and captain Bruno Guimaraes not expected to return from a hamstring injury until April, Miley getting back to fitness this month would be extremely welcome news for Newcastle and manager Eddie Howe.
