Tottenham are in the peculiar position of challenging for a place in the Champions League quarterfinals while being deeply embroiled in the Premier League relegation battle as they take on Atletico Madrid this week.
Atletico Madrid finished 14th in the Champions League group phase with 13 points from eight games. It's been an imperfect European campaign from the Spanish side so far, who suffered defeats against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Bodo/Glimt while claiming wins against Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, and PSV. In the play-off round, they played out a highly entertaining 7-4 aggregate win over Club Brugge.
Their form is decent with six wins from their last ten, with four of their last five ending in wins. Eight of their last ten games have seen over 2.5 goals scored, with the team scoring three or more goals on six occasions. Striker Alexander Sorloth has been contributing his fair share in recent weeks, netting six times in his last five games.
Atletico Madrid have secured wins against Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter this season, and with Tottenham deep in the Premier League relegation battle, the expectation is very much on their shoulders.
Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League, just one point clear of West Ham in 18th. A Tottenham relegation has been an unthinkable outcome for the majority of their time in the Premier League, but two poor league seasons on the bounce has brought them closer than ever to what would be a seismic outcome in English league football history.
As such, this game is likely playing second fiddle to their league needs in the team's priority list, with most fans likely to have one eye on the weekend's upcoming league fixture. They've very much delivered in Europe this season despite their awful league showings, but with the threat of relegation now more potent than ever, it'll be tough for them to deliver the same kind of intensity in this competition that they did earlier in the campaign.
Spurs' form is dire, with Igor Tudor's side winning only two of their last ten, losing all of their last five. Tottenham have conceded 13 goals in their last five games, and given they're facing an Atletico side with a hugely potent attack, it could be a long night for the North London club.