Spurs Web

Tottenham Hotspur have identified a budding Belgian midfield starlet as someone who can fill a crucial hole in their squad, but they face plenty of competition for his services.

Spurs have secured some extremely talented young midfielders for relative discounts over recent years, with Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Pape Sarr all arguably worth more than what the Lilywhites paid for them.

Tottenham are now looking to repeat the trick again with a 17-year-old who has been taking Belgian football by storm.

Over recent months, it has been widely reported that Spurs have set their sights on an Anderlecht youngster, whose reputation is rising rapidly, but the Lilywhites will not have a free run at the player.

Three Premier League clubs ready to challenge Tottenham for Nathan De Cat

It was previously reported that Johan Lange is driving Tottenham’s pursuit of Nathan De Cat, who is continuing to turn a lot of heads with his performances in the Jupiler Pro League.

A new report in Fussball Daten has now revealed that Spurs are indeed keen on landing the teenager and have sent scouts to Belgium recently to run the rule over him.

It is claimed that Tottenham see De Cat as the ‘ideal deep-lying playmaker’ for their system, but they face competition from Man United, who have also scouted the youngster.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Additionally, it is revealed that the midfielder’s statistics on ball recovery and progressive passing have also piqued the interest of both Aston Villa and Brighton.

How much is De Cat likely to cost this summer?

Fussball Daten say that there is also a ‘Bundesliga offensive’ for a Belgium Under-18 international, who is on the radars of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.

De Cat’s current deal at Anderlecht only runs until the summer of 2027, but Anderlecht have no intention of selling him for a cut-price fee this summer.

The Belgian club are only expected to entertain offers in the region of €30m-€35m (£26m-£30.2m) for the midfielder, which would make the deal a record transfer for any teenager from the division.

Igor Tudor has issued an update on Conor Gallagher’s condition ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League clash, with the midfielder facing a late fitness test.

It has been good news on the injury front for Tottenham Hotspur as several of their injured stars are nearing a return.

Igor Tudor confirmed earlier today that three of Tottenham’s injured players are set to make the bench on Wednesday night against Atletico Madrid, but for Joao Palhinha, it remains touch-and-go.

That is a big boost for Spurs, who were once set to be without 13 senior players, with the number now reduced to ten.

Ahead of the Atletico Madrid clash, Igor Tudor has now provided another injury update, this time on Conor Gallagher, who is dealing with an illness.

The former Atleti man missed the weekend encounter against Liverpool and remains a doubt for Wednesday’s game in the Champions League, with Tudor revealing it is touch-and-go with the midfielder.

Providing an update on Gallagher’s condition, Tudor explained the situation when speaking about his availability.

MORE SPURS STORIES

He told football.london: “We see today what we can do because he has, as you know, probably asthma problems. He has some virus to make some not nice things, so we are going to see tomorrow if he is able to go on the bench. Nothing like a danger, but still he is not able to play.”

Spurs could rely on Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray

Gallagher’s return will be a welcome bonus for Tottenham, who will be desperate to get all the help they can in the run-in.

But Tudor might not be overly worried, as his two young midfielders, Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray have stepped up in different moments this season.

Both Gray and Pape Sarr were impressive against Liverpool, with Tudor left full of praise for the two young midfielders.

Micky van de Ven has firmly addressed speculation surrounding Tottenham Hotspur amid growing transfer talk involving the club’s players.

It is crucial for Tottenham Hotspur to have a strong sense of togetherness at this stage of the season, with so much still to play for.

Spurs are still in the Champions League, even though they face elimination following their 5-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

They must now overturn a three-goal deficit to force extra time and penalties, or win by four goals to secure progression to the next round.

Tottenham are also fighting to avoid the drop in the Premier League, as they run the risk of being relegated, with just one point separating them from 18th-placed West Ham United.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven responds to transfer rumours

Performances have to improve on the pitch, and there is no denying that the draw with Liverpool provides Spurs with something to build on.

With the club in somewhat of a crisis, given their struggles this term, there have been talks about a few of their stars wanting out.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Micky van de Ven has found himself at the centre of those rumours, with several clubs in Europe reported to be after the Dutchman.

Van de Ven has now addressed those claims, dismissing suggestions of unrest within the squad when speaking to football.london.

He said: “The other day when we read that one guy told the rest of the team that he does not care because he is leaving anyway. It is like, how does this come out? It is just made up. And the fans will believe it. It is just frustrating for us guys.”

Spurs unity message from Micky van de Ven amid speculation

Further addressing the reports, Van de Ven continued to reject claims about players being unsettled and questioned the narrative being circulated.

He added: “Of course, I have seen things [written]. Reporters just say things sometimes, and it is like how did you come up with this, like players have switched off. It is not true. They say players are going to leave either way. It is just nonsense, and people start believing it.”

While rumours continue to fly, Tottenham’s display on the pitch last weekend against Liverpool showed that this group of players are still fighting for the badge.

Spurs were relentless and even outran Liverpool on Sunday evening. But when senior players make silly mistakes in games, it is only natural that questions are asked about where their heads are.

Tottenham Hotspur have received a timely injury boost ahead of their Champions League clash, with Igor Tudor offering an update as several players return to training.

Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 was only their second loss in Europe this term.

But that could prove to be a far costlier defeat for the Europa League winners, who are on the verge of being knocked out of the competition.

Tottenham need to secure a victory to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but that win must be by a four-goal margin for outright qualification or by three goals to force extra time and penalties.

It is a big ask, but it is one Spurs will have to meet if they are to keep their European hopes alive.

Igor Tudor, however, has been handed a few boosts coming into this tie that might make him optimistic about his chances.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Tottenham were set to be without at least 13 players for the Atleti tie, but that number now looks to have been reduced to nine.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Destiny Udogie is back on the training pitches despite his return being set for the weekend game against Nottingham Forest.

Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha were also seen in training for Tottenham ahead of their clash against Atletico Madrid.

In a shock turn of events, Lucas Bergvall, who was set for a return in April, was also seen training at Hotspur Way, which is a big boost for Tottenham.

Igor Tudor has now provided an injury update on his Tottenham squad ahead of Wednesday’s second-leg tie with Atletico Madrid, explaining exactly where these players stand in their recovery thus far.

He told George Sessions: “Joao (Palhinha), no but Destiny (Udogie) and Lucas (Bergvall) will be on the bench tomorrow. One part of the game, not too much, but it is good to see them.”

On Romero, he added: “Yes, he can play. Joao is a little bit worse, so he will be for the next game but Romero is in.”

Opta’s Supercomputer has revealed the most likely result as Atletico Madrid travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

Spurs were demolished at the Metropolitano Stadium, going 4-0 down within 22 minutes after a disastrous start.

While they did well to add some respectability to the scoreline subsequently, they still lost 5-2, which means that they are on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.

Tottenham may have bigger fish to fry domestically, where they are involved in a fight for Premier League survival, but some supporters may still hold out hope of a dramatic comeback against the La Liga side.

No clear favourites in the second leg between Tottenham and Atletico Madrid

Opta’s supercomputer believes that the result in North London in the second leg may be too close to call.

The data analysis platform gives Tottenham a 38.5 per cent chance of emerging victorious on the day, while Atletico have been handed a 37 per cent chance of beating Spurs for the second time in a row.

MORE SPURS STORIES

A draw is deemed the least likely result on Wednesday, with just a 24.5 per cent chance of the spoils being shared.

Of course, victory alone will not be enough for Tottenham, who have to beat the Spanish side by at least three goals to take the tie to extra time.

Spurs may prioritise the relegation six-pointer over Atletico clash

Spurs need to score at least two early goals without response to put Atletico under pressure on Wednesday.

Diego Simeone’s men are experts at preserving the lead and hitting the opposition on the counter, which is why a turnaround is extremely unlikely for the Lilywhites.

Besides, there is no doubt that Igor Tudor’s priority would be to beat Nottingham Forest next Sunday, and the Croat could potentially even rest some players for the Atletico clash.

Tottenham Hotspur have received a timely lift ahead of their Champions League clash, with one key player spotted back in training at a crucial moment in the season.

All eyes will be on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the Europa League winners look to secure passage to the quarter-final of the Champions League.

But this will be one of Spurs’ biggest tests yet, as they need to lead by three goals to force extra time and win by four goals to secure progression to the next round after losing 5-2 in the round of 16 first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Tottenham come into this encounter off the back of a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, one they hope serves as a spark in what has been a dreadful campaign thus far.

Tottenham injury boost as Destiny Udogie returns to training

But that is not the only boost Spurs are getting ahead of their big round of 16 tie on Wednesday. Earlier today, Tottenham received a couple of injury boosts as a few injured stars were spotted in training.

Lucas Bergvall, whose return was pencilled in for April, was on the training pitch, alongside Cristian Romero, who was a doubt due to concussion protocols. Joao Palhinha was also doing solo training.

It is now understood that Destiny Udogie was also on the training pitches. Udogie was expected to return to full action against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, but it looks like he is back early for Spurs.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs handed timely lift before 25/26 season run-in

This is big for Tottenham, who have barely had any luck on the injury front. However, it is very unlikely that all of these players will be thrown straight into the mix in the clash against Atletico Madrid.

Spurs’ main focus for the season remains avoiding relegation, and one would expect that Igor Tudor will be looking to achieve that with his injured players now returning.

For Tottenham, Wednesday should be about avoiding a heavy defeat and keeping belief within the camp.

A win, even though it might not be enough to secure progression, will be another big boost for Spurs as they go into the final stretch of the Premier League season.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters who travel to the stadium for the Atletico Madrid clash will get a glimpse of a former fan favourite.

Spurs fans have already seen many of the club’s legends return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as special guests over recent months.

Heung-min Son was a special guest for the Champions League tie against Slavia Prague earlier this season, with the former Tottenham captain getting a chance to say goodbye to the supporters in person following his summer move.

More recently, Jan Vertonghen returned to Spurs to watch their 2-2 draw against Man City, and now, one of his compatriots is also set to make an appearance at N17. Dele Alli also made his emotional return to Tottenham earlier this year.

Toby Alderweireld will be Tottenham’s special guest against Atletico Madrid

Spurs have now announced that Toby Alderweireld will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the special guest for the second leg of the Champions League R16 clash against Atletico.

The club have revealed that the supporters at the stadium will hear from the Belgian centre-back at 7.45 pm, 15 minutes before the kick-off at 8 pm.

Alderweireld, who was part of the Tottenham side which finished runners-up in the Champions League in 2019, will reminisce with Paul Coyte about his six years in North London.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The 37-year-old, who hung up his boots last summer, also played for Atletico, making 22 appearances in his solitary season for the La Liga side.

Will Igor Tudor exercise caution in his selection against Atletico?

The Tottenham interim boss showed a willingness to use academy players against Liverpool, although his hands had been somewhat tied due to the club’s injury crisis.

One wonders if we may see a couple of those youngsters start on Wednesday, as not only is a comeback unlikely, but the Spurs have bigger fish to fry.

Tudor’s and Tottenham’s priority would be the clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with the prospect of relegation casting a shadow on the whole club.

Tottenham Hotspur have just received a little boost ahead of their monumental challenge of turning around a three-goal deficit against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

The La Liga side are huge favourites to progress to the quarterfinal of the Champions League after demolishing Spurs 5-2 at the Metropolitano Stadium last week.

It will be a comeback of the ages if Igor Tudor’s men somehow manage to turn the tide and progress to the final eight, especially given that they will have half an eye on the huge clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Tottenham could be without 13 first-team players for their clash against Atletico, but the La Liga side are also set to be without one of their most important players.

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak ruled out of Tottenham clash

Diego Simeone’s men will be without the ever-present Jan Oblak in goal for their trip to London.

This is according to AS, who say that the Atleti number one is suffering from a muscle strain, and having missed the recent win over Getafe, he has not recovered in time to play against Tottenham.

MORE SPURS STORIES

With Oblak now ‘ruled out’ of Wednesday’s clash, Juan Musso will start between the sticks for the away side in what will be just his second European game for the club.

Tottenham will be hoping that they can put Musso under pressure early with their long throws and corners, and potentially make the La Liga side sweat.

Can Spurs build on the momentum they got against Liverpool?

While progression to the next stage of the Champions League may prove beyond Tottenham, a good performance and a decent result against Atletico will go a long way towards the big clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Igor Tudor will want his side to build on the momentum they got from the draw at Anfield and will hope that his players retain confidence heading into the relegation six-pointer.

Tottenham Hotspur face a daunting challenge against Atletico Madrid as they attempt to overturn a heavy first-leg deficit to keep their Champions League hopes alive. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI.

Tottenham Hotspur have to beat Atletico Madrid by more than three goals if they are to secure their spot in the quarter-finals, where the winners of the tie between Newcastle United and Barcelona await.

Diego Simeone’s men, however, are known for their defensive resilience and will be looking to prevent any comeback from Spurs at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But Atleti have been caught out in the Champions League before when holding a two-goal lead from the first leg.

Back in 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick helped Juventus overcome a two-goal deficit, defeating Atleti in the second leg of their round of 16 encounter in the Champions League.

Spurs do not have Ronaldo on their side, but as a collective, they can cause problems for Simeone’s men. We have now attempted to predict how Igor Tudor might line up on Wednesday night.

Tottenham could be without as many as 10 senior first-team players against Atletico due to injury, illness, and suspension.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham predicted XI vs Atletico Madrid: Guglielmo Vicario and Dominic Solanke expected to start

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: The goalkeeping position for Spurs has looked shaky in the last few games. Antonin Kinsky’s errors proved costly in the first leg on his Champions League debut, while Vicario made a mistake of his own against Liverpool. While Tudor has claimed that Kinsky will still play for Spurs, it is highly unlikely he will line up here, so Vicario should keep his spot.

Right-back – Pedro Porro: The full-back was one of the Tottenham players to get on the scoresheet in the first leg between the two sides, and we expect him to start once more here.

Centre-back – Kevin Danso: Tudor could very well turn to a back three once more here. If he does so, then Danso should start.

Centre-back – Cristian Romero: Judging by Igor Tudor’s latest comments, it seems Cristian Romero is fit to start after his concussion last week.

Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: The Dutchman missed the game against Liverpool because of a suspension picked up against Crystal Palace. With his suspension completed, he should return to the starting XI for Tottenham.

Left-back – Djed Spence: Out on the left in defence, we expect Spence to continue there before Destiny Udogie returns this weekend.

Centre midfielder – Archie Gray: The midfielder featured in his preferred midfield position in the clash against Liverpool, and his performance saw him get praise from his manager. He is versatile enough to fill in both defence and midfield, but for this encounter, we expect Tudor to have him in midfield.

Centre midfielder – Pape Matar Sarr: The Senegalese put in one of his better performances in a Spurs shirt against Liverpool, where he was full of running, covering every blade of grass. Such energy will be vital for Tottenham as they look to turn this tie on its head.

Left winger – Mathys Tel: The French forward has seen an increase in game time under Tudor as opposed to the limited minutes Tel was getting under Thomas Frank because of a disagreement as to his best position. He can provide width and some directness from the wide areas, and we expect him to start here as Spurs chase the game.

Striker – Dominic Solanke: The Englishman was one of the other names on the scoresheet after a well-taken goal off the bench, and that should be enough to force Tudor to hand him a start from the off here.

Right-winger – Randal Kolo Muani: Tudor would love to play Richarlison, but the Brazilian is suspended, so Kolo Muani returns to the XI.

Tottenham Hotspur face a daunting task on Wednesday night as they attempt to overturn a heavy deficit against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Here’s how to watch the clash between Tottenham and Atleti.

Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to overcome a three-goal deficit when they take to the pitch against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their round of 16 tie in the Champions League.

The last time Spurs overcame such a deficit was back in 2019 when they found themselves 3-0 down at half-time in Amsterdam in the second leg of their semi-final clash, but a Lucas Moura hat-trick in the second half saw Tottenham advance thanks to away goals.

This time it is different, but Spurs can draw some inspiration from one of the most iconic nights in Champions League history when they face Diego Simeone’s men.

When and where Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid takes place

Tottenham will take on Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 (UK time).

How to watch Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid live on TV

Supporters in the United Kingdom can watch Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid live on TNT Sports 3.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs and Atletico Madrid team news ahead of Champions League second leg

Tottenham continue to deal with a lengthy injury list ahead of the clash. Yves Bissouma remains sidelined with a muscle injury, while James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are also unavailable due to knee and cruciate ligament injuries, respectively.

Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall are among those currently out with ankle, hamstring and leg problems.

Wilson Odobert will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, while Mohammed Kudus is also sidelined with a muscle issue.

There is some potential encouragement for Spurs, however, with Conor Gallagher, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Joao Palhinha expected to return this weekend.

Atletico Madrid also has concerns of their own ahead of the tie, with Rodrigo Mendoza ruled out due to a sprained ankle, while Pablo Barrios remains unavailable because of a thigh injury.

Why Igor Tudor must avoid another heavy Champions League defeat

Given the injury crisis Tottenham are dealing with and their Premier League predicament, where they are in a relegation scrap, their season will not be judged by the outcome of this game.

However, for Igor Tudor, who has only just managed his first point in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool, avoiding a drubbing will be vital to keep spirits up ahead of the all-important relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

On Wednesday, it could very much be a tight game for Tottenham as Atletico Madrid might prefer to sit back and defend their lead.

A fast start, though, could help Spurs gather momentum early on in the game, and if they grab a quick goal, they could well turn things around.