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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Micky van de Ven has not been good enough for Tottenham lately, and Igor Tudor must respond by replacing him with the in-form Kevin Danso.

Micky van de Ven has been quite the player for Tottenham Hotspur, and his goal-line clearance was just as essential to the club’s Europa League triumph as Brennan Johnson’s goal.

However, there has been speculation that van de Ven wants to leave Spurs, and it is hard not to believe this claim when you look at his performances.

The Dutchman has always been aggressive in his tackles, but recently, he has been uncharacteristically over the top and, at times, completely careless. This saw him sent off against Crystal Palace, and he was perhaps lucky to avoid the same fate in Madrid.

It was at the Wanda Metropolitano that van de Ven was at fault for one of the goals Tottenham conceded, and he only made four defensive contributions during the game.

Against Fulham, van de Ven made only three defensive contributions, 10 fewer than Radu Dragusin of all people! Compared with how he was playing under Thomas Frank, something is clearly not right.

Kevin Danso must start ahead of Micky van de Ven for Tottenham

Spurs are the type of team who do not drop key first-team players, regardless of their form. Take Harry Kane, for example, a brilliant striker who carried the club for years.

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However, there were times when he went through bad patches of form, and there was never any consideration to bench him for a game.

Tottenham must not make the same mistake with van de Ven, especially when in this situation, there is an adequate alternative in Kevin Danso.

The Austrian arguably worked harder than anyone else on the pitch at Anfield, constantly making clearances to relieve the pressure and covering for his inferior defensive partner.

Danso’s performances this season have been a mixed bag, but at least it is clear where his head is at. On Sunday, it was clear he was giving everything for his team, unlike the man who single-handedly cost Spurs a result against Crystal Palace earlier in the month.

Kevin Danso’s stats in Liverpool vs Tottenham:

Cristian Romero should be the defender to play alongside Danso at Spurs

If van de Ven deserves criticism, then so does Cristian Romero, considering his season has been made up of erratic errors and constant bookings. Whether it is arguing with the referee or running half a mile out of position, the Argentine has been a frustrating watch.

Still, just look at Tottenham’s results when Romero plays compared with when he does not. Spurs may have achieved a draw at Liverpool without their captain, but before that, they were defeated in all four of the Premier League matches where he was suspended. Prior to that, four draws were recorded in seven fixtures when Romero started.

Whereas in van de Ven’s past six starts, Tottenham have lost every game, but they drew with Man City and Liverpool directly before his two most recent absences.

Also, Spurs recorded Champions League victories over Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt, respectively, keeping clean sheets too. Guess who did not play in those matches…

If van de Ven does leave North London this summer, he will be remembered as a superb defender who played a big part in delivering Tottenham a trophy. Right now, however, he needs to be dropped for Danso until he can show he is trustworthy and reliable enough to give his best.

Callum Olusesi enjoyed a memorable moment at Anfield after the Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate made his Premier League debut against Liverpool.

It was a proud moment for Callum Olusesi on Sunday evening when the Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate made his Premier League debut in the clash against Liverpool.

Olusesi came on in the 76th minute, replacing Djed Spence, and had a positive effect on proceedings, bringing some much-needed energy into midfield for the closing stages.

He did not do anything fancy, but it was the right sort of performance you would expect the youngster to build on.

Tottenham youngster Callum Olusesi impressive cameo stats vs Liverpool

Although he featured for just 14 minutes, Olusesi’s underlying numbers show how impressive his brief cameo was.

While on the pitch, the teenager completed all eight of his passes, earning a pass accuracy of 100%. He also managed nine touches and played two passes into the final third.

He was tidy with the ball and was never dispossessed. He made two defensive contributions and completed two recoveries in his brief time on the pitch, while being dribbled past zero times.

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FotMob handed him a 6.3 match rating, while we rated Olusesi’s Premier League debut against Liverpool a seven.

Callum Olusesi must push for more Spurs minutes

With his Premier League debut out of the way, Olusesi will now be hoping he can get more minutes in the first-team squad for Tottenham before the season ends.

We want to see Olusesi in Igor Tudor’s line-up against Atletico Madrid in Spurs’ second-leg tie of the Champions League.

The midfielder can cover on the right for Spurs, as we hope Tudor sticks to the 4-4-2 formation that helped find some joy against Liverpool.

Igor Tudor has made a rough start as the Tottenham Hotspur manager, but now is not the time to part ways for one big reason.

Tottenham Hotspur were poor under Thomas Frank, but some would argue Igor Tudor has made the team even worse.

The Croatian lost his opening four fixtures at the club, making history for all the wrong reasons, and two of those defeats were pretty humiliating.

However, Spurs have finally managed to pick up a point this weekend and, better still, it was at a ground where they so often fail to claim anything – Anfield!

So then, should Tottenham get rid of the struggling manager, or should he be given a bit longer to steer the club away from the relegation zone?

Tottenham would lose momentum by sacking Igor Tudor

Spurs sacked Ange Postecoglou directly after he won a trophy, and look what happened! Getting rid of Tudor after he led his team to a positive result would follow the same mindless logic.

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Tottenham will be feeling good about their chances now. They needed a response after West Ham and Nottingham Forest took a point each at the weekend, and this has been delivered.

To risk destroying this momentum would be devoid of any common sense, because right now Spurs need rhythm, not disruption.

Tudor is beginning to look less like a fish out of water and more like someone who actually cares about what is at stake. He is really starting to let his emotions show, and that can sometimes do more for the players than hearing the same old passionate team talks.

The mood has shifted around Tottenham right before an absolute crunch match against Nottingham Forest, from the pitch to the terraces. To do anything to change that would surely be a mistake, at least for now anyway.

Tudor has not actually been that bad at Spurs

Being reactionary as a Tottenham supporter is a forgivable offence because boy, had we had it rough over the years! However, once the emotions of a matchday subside, look at the current situation with a clear mind and ask yourself the question, is Tudor really that bad?

Spurs would have been level at 2-2 with Arsenal if Randal Kolo Muani’s second goal had counted. The week after, Fulham’s goal stood when they committed an almost identical offence on Radu Dragusin and they won the game by a single strike.

Then came the match against Crystal Palace, which Spurs were winning until Micky van de Ven committed a foolish foul, which saw him sent off. This, of course, was followed by the Atletico defeat, a game which was lost very early on as a result of the Dutchman and Antonin Kinsky.

This is not to say Tudor has never made any mistakes, as he has made plenty. However, a lot of these things were out of his control, and they completely changed the direction of Spurs’ matches.

One thing which Igor Tudor was responsible for against Atletico Madrid was starting Kinsky in the first place, but this decision was actually cheered by a large section of the Tottenham support.

Yes, it went badly wrong, but the interim boss received praise for dropping Guglielmo Vicario before the match started.

Tottenham are improving under Igor Tudor, believe it or not

Spurs had 13 shots against Liverpool and seven of those landed on target. Two big chances were created and they recorded 1.18xG.

Against Atletico, Tottenham’s attacking stats were even better, with 1.99xG and three big chances created.

The defence may not have been as good, but a lot of that has been down to individual errors, rather than the structure itself.

There are still a lot of things Tudor has got wrong, although many new managers, when they do not arrive at a time when the club is an absolute trainwreck.

Right now, Spurs just have to stick with the manager and see what happens next Sunday. If he gets the win over Forest, he is definitely staying. If not, then there is time over the international break to reconsider, but for now, Tottenham fans have to get behind Igor Tudor and his players, ahead of a game which could make or break their season.

Tottenham Hotspur face a huge European challenge this week, but injuries and suspensions could leave Igor Tudor with a severely depleted squad for the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham Hotspur’s focus is now set to turn to the Champions League following their 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend.

But the task in front of Spurs in Europe on Wednesday night is massive as they aim to overcome a three-goal deficit following their 5-2 first-leg defeat against Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

Spurs must lead by at least three goals to force extra time and win by four goals to win the tie outright if they are to progress to the quarter-final of this competition.

The return leg against Atletico Madrid takes place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a ground where Spurs have a strong European record and where they have remained unbeaten since 2020.

Tottenham injury list before Atletico Madrid Champions League clash

Igor Tudor will have to pull off whatever remontada is required without several of his outfield players as Tottenham continue to manage an injury crisis.

As it stands, Spurs are set to be without a rather high 13 players when they take on Atletico Madrid in north London.

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The usual names remain sidelined, with Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and James Maddison all out.

Mohammed Kudus is edging towards a return, with one pencilled in for after the international break, but it remains to be seen if he will be back sooner rather than later.

Destiny Udogie is also sidelined for this one as it might come too soon for the Italian, whose return is pencilled in for the weekend.

Richarlison is not injured but is suspended after picking up a yellow card in the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha are also expected to miss out because of concussion protocols following their clash of heads late in Madrid last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, full-back Souza is not part of Spurs’ Champions League squad alongside Bissouma, who remains sidelined through injury.

Spurs could rely on youngsters against Atletico Madrid

Tottenham will, however, be hoping that Conor Gallagher is at least fit for this one, as he is nursing an illness he picked up before the Liverpool clash.

The former Atletico Madrid midfielder does represent the little bit of respite Spurs are expected to get on the injury front heading into this encounter.

We could well see a rather depleted bench that will feature several youngsters as Spurs push to turn this tie on its head. Both Callum Olusesis and James Rowswell came off the bench to help Tottenham earn the draw with Liverpool.