Tottenham Hotspur are in poor form in the Premier League, suffering yet another defeat to Crystal Palace last week, and face a real battle to avoid the drop.
They have lost their last five league games and are currently 16th in the table, with some important games on the horizon.
However, in the UEFA Champions League, they progressed automatically to the Round of 16 after finishing in the top eight during the League Phase.
Their reward is a tie against Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone's side had to go through the Playoff Round last month, where they beat Belgian side Club Brugge over two legs.
The Spanish side come into this game on the back of a 3-2 home win against Real Sociedad at the weekend. They have also won their last three games in La Liga and are currently third in the table, only behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.
A welcome distraction?
Over the last two seasons, Spurs have struggled in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank and now Igor Tudor have all failed to pick up points.
Yet in European competitions they have looked a different side.
Last season, Postecoglou led them to victory in the UEFA Europa League and delivered the trophy that the club had been craving.
That win against Manchester United secured a spot in this season's Champions League.
Playing in the top competition in European club football, they have picked up some important wins and put in some excellent performances.
A standout result would be the win against Borussia Dortmund in January and an inspiring attacking performance away at Paris Saint-Germain, where they narrowly lost 5-3 in the end against last year's winners.
Therefore, despite their difficulties in the domestic league, they may head to the Spanish capital with a sense of freedom and a belief that they can get a result.
Ironically, in the Premier League they have been better away from home yet in Europe they are unbeaten at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This may also provide a source of confidence ahead of next week's second leg.
In knockout football, anything is possible and Spurs will want to make the most of their place in the competition.
The ongoing problems cannot be ignored
This could be a difficult game for Spurs to approach because their problems cannot be ignored, survival in the top flight must be the priority.
They will, inevitably, be keen to progress in Europe and look to give themselves the best chance of remaining in the tie ahead of the second leg.
There may be a feeling that the draw could have been tougher and that Atletico are beatable and, if everything goes Spurs' way, they could potentially go through to the Quarter Finals.
Alternatively, given their recent league form, it could be a tie too far and a reminder of their current struggles and the reality of where they find themselves at the moment.
They have a trip to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday and that will be a tough game, but next weekend they are at home to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and that is a game that they cannot afford to lose.
Equally, if Igor Tudor decides to rest some players in Europe ahead of the league games then it could turn into a very difficult and unpleasant night for the Londoners.
Supporters travelling to Spain may do so more in hope than any real expectation and some may view it as a tie that Spurs could do without.
Can Igor Tudor gain any form of momentum?
There is little doubt that the interim manager needs something. He has lost his three games in charge so far 4-1, 2-1 and 3-1. That is a record that needs to change if Spurs are to avoid the drop.
There has not been much to cheer this season and the reality of the situation has set in.
Regardless of the result, Tudor may want to see some positive aspects that he can take away from this fixture and feel that they could be applied to their league games.
Hiring Tudor was a gamble but so far it is not working.
There will likely be the hope that a win or a draw away in Spain could at least stop the rot and give them something to build on ahead of the trip to Anfield and the Forest game.
There is no reason to say that Spurs must sacrifice the Champions League and relegation rivals Forest face a similar balancing act as they are competing in the Europa League.
There is a world where Spurs stay up and progress to the latter stages of Europe, but to do that they need to start winning games. It is as simple as that.
However, the cost of relegation would be far more damaging than a European exit.