Igor Tudor is still searching for a positive result since taking over at Tottenham Hotspur and now has the tough challenge of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side
Stepping away from their Premier League relegation fight, struggling Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid. Despite their troubles at home, Spurs impressed in Europe, finishing fourth in the league phase and outperforming domestic giants such as PSG, Barcelona, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Chelsea. They recorded five wins, including notable 2-0 victories over Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt.
While European competition has offered Tottenham a welcome respite—much like during Ange Postecoglou’s memorable second season—their domestic form has been disastrous. Thursday’s 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace saw Igor Tudor’s side set a club record of 11 consecutive Premier League games without a win, leaving them just a point above the relegation zone. With five straight losses in all competitions, and three under Tudor, speculation is mounting over his future, though he will remain in charge for this challenging first leg.
Atletico Madrid, who finished three points and ten places below Spurs in the league phase, survived a dramatic playoff against Club Brugge, ultimately progressing 7-4 on aggregate after a 4-1 home win inspired by an Alexander Sorloth hat-trick. Traditionally known for their defensive solidity, Atletico ended the league phase with the worst defensive record among the top 16 teams, conceding 15 goals, and recent performances suggest their backline issues persist. They have conceded five goals in their last two matches—a 3-0 Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona (rendered meaningless by their first-leg advantage) and a 3-2 La Liga win over Real Sociedad.
Despite their defensive struggles, Atletico have won their last four home games, scoring at least three goals in each. However, their only previous competitive meeting with Tottenham ended in a heavy defeat, as Spurs triumphed 5-1 in the 1963 Cup Winners’ Cup final, with Jimmy Greaves scoring twice. Nearly 63 years later, a repeat of that result seems highly unlikely, but Tottenham will hope their European form can provide some relief from their domestic woes as they seek a fourth consecutive Champions League victory and a sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.
Atletico vs Tottenham Prediciton
Atletico to win to nil - 9/5 ( William Hill )
Under 2.5 goals - 17/20 ( William Hill )
Atletico vs Tottenham Team News
Tottenham’s defeat to Crystal Palace was set in motion by Micky van de Ven’s red card for a last-man foul, but the Dutch defender will serve his suspension in domestic competition and is available for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash, as is Cristian Romero, who has completed his own league ban. The visitors benefited from a weekend off following their early FA Cup exit, and manager Igor Tudor is optimistic that Djed Spence could return from a calf injury, with Destiny Udogie (thigh) also nearing a comeback.
However, Spurs remain without several key players: Wilson Odobert (ACL), James Maddison (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Ben Davies (ankle), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), and Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh) are all sidelined. Additionally, Radu Dragusin, who missed Thursday’s loss due to a knock, will need to be assessed ahead of the trip to Madrid.
For Atletico Madrid, January signing Rodrigo Mendoza was forced off at halftime against Real Sociedad with an ankle injury, which could keep the 20-year-old out for the rest of the month. He is one of only two fitness concerns for Diego Simeone, with the other being Pablo Barrios, who is back in training after a hamstring issue and should be available. Antoine Griezmann, who has confirmed he will remain in Spain despite MLS speculation, made a significant impact off the bench against Real Sociedad, as did two-goal hero Nico Gonzalez—both are pushing for starting spots in Tuesday’s match.
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