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Igor Tudor and Pedro Porro are holding their press conference on Monday in Madrid ahead of Tottenham's Champions League last 16 clash at Atletico Madrid.

The Croatian has already found his position to be the subject of plenty of speculation after defeats in all of his opening three matches. Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League table and just a point above 18th-placed West Ham with Nottingham Forest in between them.

The north London outfit have a midweek distraction from their Premier League woes in the shape of their round of 16 tie against Diego Simeone's side in Spain. The game will mark a quick homecoming for Conor Gallagher, who left Atletico for Tottenham in the winter window.

Tudor will deliver the latest injury news, having previously said that he hoped Djed Spence and Radu Dragusin would be fit for the game. Cristian Romero is finally available to play again after his four-game Premier League suspension.

Tottenham were back in training on Monday morning at Hotspur Way ahead of their Champions League last 16 clash

Tottenham's numbers have been boosted ahead of the Champions League last 16 trip to Atletico Madrid after defenders Djed Spence and Radu Dragusin returned to training.

Spurs were out on the grass at Hotspur Way on Monday morning before they were due to fly to the Spanish capital where they will go head-to-head with Diego Simeone's Copa del Rey finalists for a place in the quarter-finals.

Spence has recently missed the defeats to Fulham and Crystal Palace with a calf issue while Dragusin sat out of the 3-1 home defeat to the FA Cup finalists on Thursday.

But both, as Igor Tudor had anticipated, look set to be part of the travelling squad, though the Europa League winners are still without eight key first-team stars for the contest due to injury.

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James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall all remain sidelined.

Midfielder Yves Bissouma and left-back Souza are not registered to play in UEFA competitions, either.

Spurs added Mathys Tel, Conor Gallagher and Dragusin to their roster following the conclusion of the January transfer window.

Clubs are only permitted to add three new players to their updated squad per UEFA regulations.

Speaking ahead of the tie, right-back Pedro Porro has made it clear Spurs' lack of numbers is the primary reason behind the club's domestic struggles.

He told Radio MARCA: "It's difficult, because when you're competing in four competitions under these circumstances... we already had that bad experience last year in the Premier League with so many injured players, and you just can't compete. We have young players coming on strong, and looking at this season, it's basically the same.

"You're going to play against Arsenal, [Manchester] City, Liverpool, or Chelsea, and you just can't. We could field a starting eleven of injured players that might even be stronger than the eleven that's currently playing.

"And it's not out of disrespect to anyone, but that's basically the reality. We have to think and maintain a positive mindset. I've told my teammates, it's difficult to compete like this, but we always have to give 100 per cent, even though things aren't going well in the Premier League, just like last year. We're going to approach the tie with the same ambition we've shown so far in the Champions League."

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Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro has been left frustrated by the club's lack of numbers ahead of his side's Champions League knockout clash against Atletico Madrid

Pedro Porro claims Tottenham's injured XI "might even be stronger" than their current starting line-up.

The Spanish right-back has bemoaned the number of fitness issues that the club have faced for the second consecutive season ahead of their Champions League last 16 showdown against Atletico Madrid.

While there's optimism Djed Spence and Radu Dragusin could return to action alongside recently-suspended captain Cristian Romero, the Europa League winners still have James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies on the sidelines.

Micky van de Ven will also serve a one-match ban against Liverpool this weekend, though he's available to feature against Atletico.

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Porro told Radio MARCA: “We could field a starting eleven of injured players that might even be stronger than the eleven that’s currently playing. And it’s not out of disrespect to anyone, but that’s basically the reality.

“We have to think and maintain a positive mindset. I’ve told my teammates, it’s difficult to compete like this, but we always have to give 100% per cent even though things aren’t going well in the Premier League, just like last year.

"We’re going to approach the tie with the same ambition we’ve shown so far in the Champions League.”

Despite their Premier League struggles, much like last term, Spurs' European exploits have been commendable.

They accumulated 17 points during the league phase to cement a fourth-place finish, bypassing the awkward play-off round.

North London rivals Arsenal were the only side to lose less matches (zero) than Tottenham (one) during the group stage.

Porro insists the club have been unable to replicate that sparkling form domestically due to a lack of numbers.

He added ahead of his return to his homeland: “It’s difficult, because when you’re competing in four competitions under these circumstances, we already had that bad experience last year in the Premier League with so many injured players, and you just can’t compete.

“We have young players coming on strong, and looking at this season, it’s basically the same. You’re going to play against Arsenal, City, Liverpool, or Chelsea, and you just can’t.”

Tottenham are now hovering just one point above the Premier League drop zone and survival remains the top priority, even if they have worked tirelessly to reach the Champions League knockout stages.

Interim boss Igor Tudor is still yet to achieve his first victory and has lost his first three matches at the helm to Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, respectively.

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in the position of seeking refuge on the continent as the Champions League returns this week.

Despite a domestic campaign that has seen them lurch from one disaster to another, currently sitting one point off the relegation zone, Spurs remain a different beast in Europe, having finished the league phase as one of the competition's top performers.

They travel to face Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on March 10 as significant 17/4 outsiders with bet365 to take a first-leg lead back to North London, with Atletico Madrid priced at 8/13.

While Tottenham are currently 25/1 longshots to lift the trophy in Budapest, the return of captain Cristian Romero provides a timely boost for a side that has made a habit of defying their domestic form under the Wednesday night lights.

Here's everything you need to know about the Champions League knock-out stages for Tottenham in 2026

The view from Reach PLC's chief Arsenal reporter, Alasdair Gold

Tottenham Hotspur are in a bad way right now. They can't attack, they can't defend and they are currently lurching from one disaster to another. However, for some unknown reason, European football has been their solace in recent campaigns.

This was evident last season when they won the Europa League despite finishing 17th in the Premier League, and a similar pattern has emerged this term. Spurs currently sit 16th in the domestic table, yet they remarkably finished the Champions League league phase with only three teams ending up above them.

The focus for the club must remain on steering away from relegation danger, but this trip to Madrid to face Atletico presents an opportunity to perform away from those intense domestic pressures. It is a chance to try and regain some confidence and set up a big second leg back in North London next week.

The squad is bolstered by the return of captain Cristian Romero, who is available to play again after his four-game Premier League suspension. Furthermore, while Micky van de Ven was sent off against Crystal Palace on Thursday, he has not yet begun serving his one-match ban, allowing him to feature in this crucial European tie.

Romero remains the vital figure for Spurs. As Tottenham's best player, he has won more big matches and trophies than the rest of the squad combined, and he is the individual who, on his day, drives the team to be better.

On the other side, Atletico’s Julián Álvarez represents a major threat; he knows how to play against Premier League opposition and has been among the goals and assists this season, particularly in the Champions League. He is likely to give the shaky Spurs backline a tough night, and it is possible to see an exit for Tottenham at this stage of the competition.

Looking at the wider tournament, Arsenal currently look like the strongest candidates. Their style of play and ability to grind out results is perfect for tournament football; they are leading the way in the Premier League and progressed with eight wins from eight in the Champions League.

Tottenham's potential route to the Champions League final:

Last 16: Atletico Madrid

Quarter-finals: Newcastle or Barcelona

Semi-finals: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodø/Glimt or Sporting CP

Final: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, PSG, Atalanta, Galatasaray or Bayern Munich

To win the Champions League odds with bet365

Arsenal 5/2

Bayern Munich 11/2

Barcelona 6/1

Man City 8/1

PSG 10/1

Liverpool 10/1

Real Madrid 12/1

Atletico Madrid 20/1

Chelsea 25/1

Newcastle 25/1

Tottenham 25/1

BAR 28/1

They will certainly fancy their chances with their side of the draw. However, Bayern Munich remain a formidable opponent with a squad full of elite talent—not least Harry Kane, the world's most complete striker, who will be eager to fire them to glory.

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Tottenham are in Champions League action this week as they travel to take on Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their round of 16 clash

Eyes turn to the Champions League for Tottenham Hotspur this week as they aim to take an advantage into the second leg of their round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid.

Spurs travel to Spain on Tuesday night (8pm) as they look to forget their troubles in the Premier League. The second leg takes place just over a week later at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday, 18 March.

Tottenham’s last outing saw them fall to a 3-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace on Thursday night, leaving them in serious danger of relegation from the Premier League. The Champions League may be a welcome break from the strains of the fight.

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Spurs have had the full weekend to prepare for the game, as they were not involved in the FA Cup fifth round. All concentration will therefore be on Tuesday night’s game.

Tottenham have been hit with more than their fair share of injury problems throughout the season.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the latest from the treatment room for both teams ahead of the game.

Tottenham

Igor Tudor faces a nervous wait over the fitness of full-back Djed Spence, who has missed the last two matches due to ‘soreness.’ Ahead of last week’s game against Palace, Igor Tudor was hopeful that he’d be back in time for the clash against Atletico, but it may be a waiting game for the player and club.

There are set to be more players on the injury list, which has failed to let up throughout the campaign. Long-term absentees Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert are continuing their recoveries from serious knee injuries.

Rodrigo Bentancur is also undergoing rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury. He will be joined on the sidelines by Mohammed Kudus, the forward’s return has been earmarked for after the upcoming international break.

It’s a similar situation with Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies, who could make their comebacks from an ankle injury after the international break.

Full-back Destiny Udogie will be closing in on a return to action, with a four-to-five-week timeline put on his return in early February. However, the clash against Atletico could come just a bit too early.

There could also be doubts over the fitness of defender Radu Dragusin, who missed the game against Palace because of a minor knock.

The good news for Spurs is that the red card shown to centre-back Micky van de Ven against Palace does not carry over to the Champions League. He will therefore be available to face Atletico.

Atletico Madrid

Things are looking a lot quieter in terms of the treatment room at Atletico Madrid. There are just two players who are doubts for the game.

Midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza was taken off at half time of the 3-2 La Liga win against Real Sociedad on Saturday, having received a heavy knock to his ankle. The club have since confirmed that he has suffered a “moderate ankle sprain”, ruling him out of the clash against Spurs.

Another midfielder, Pablo Barrios, has missed the last nine games in all competitions with a muscle injury. He has, however, returned to training this weekend ahead of the mid-week clash.

It’s still to be seen if the game against Spurs could be the one he makes his comeback in, or if it will come too soon for the 22-year-old.

The UEFA Champions League is down to its last 16 and there are some must-watch ties on the way this week. Six English teams are flying the flag for the Premier League, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur still in play.

Arsenal ended the League Phase at the top of the table, three points clear of second place Bayern Munich. Spurs will be one to watch as the troubled side go into the round of 16 sitting just one point above the Premier League relegation zone.

Newcastle were the only team forced to decide their fate in the play-offs and pulled off a sensational display over two legs. Eddie Howe’s men demolished Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate to book their place in the next round.

Almost every Round of 16 game will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+, including Galatasaray vs Liverpool and Atlético Madrid vs Spurs on Tuesday, plus Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal, Real Madrid vs Man City and PSG vs Chelsea on Wednesday. Fans can stream these games with a £30.99 rolling monthly subscription via the discovery+ app or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.

Amazon’s Prime Video holds the exclusive broadcast rights to the top-pick Tuesday fixture, with Newcastle vs Barcelona the chosen game this week. This means Magpies fans can stream the game for free with an Amazon Prime subscription or a 30-day free trial.

Here’s the full TV schedule for the Champions League Round of 16:

Tuesday, March 10

Wednesday, March 11

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Madrid on Monday ahead of their Champions League last 16 clash with Diego Simeone's Atletico side

Tottenham head to Spain on Monday afternoon with Igor Tudor having a couple of players unavailable despite being fit for the Champions League clash at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Spurs have big Premier League problems on their hands right now as they lie a single point above the drop zone but this midweek brings a Champions League distraction as they take on Diego Simeone's side in the round of 16. Tuesday brings the first leg in the Spanish capital before next Wednesday the La Liga side will travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Interim head coach Tudor will have captain Cristian Romero available for selection for the first time in his tenure after the Argentine's four-game ban comes to an end following his second red card of the season. Micky van de Ven will also be available before facing his own suspension against Liverpool on Sunday after the first sending off of his career against Crystal Palace.

Tottenham made three changes to their Champions League squad for the knockout stages. Winter signing Conor Gallagher replaced Brennan Johnson among the 22 spots available, following the attacker's move to Palace, meaning the England international can face his old team in Madrid despite playing for them in the league stage.

A change to the UEFA rules a couple of seasons ago means that players can play for two different clubs in European competitions.

Mathys Tel and Radu Dragusin were also added to the club's Champions League list, replacing the injured duo Ben Davies and Rodrigo Bentancur who will no longer be eligible for this season’s competition. Tudor said he hopes Dragusin and Djed Spence will be fit enough to take part in Madrid if required after recent issues.

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Two fit players remain out of the squad though and they are recent signing Souza and experienced midfielder Yves Bissouma, who was left out of the league phase squad. Tottenham's lack of senior 'club-trained' homegrown players and a large number of foreign players restrict how many can be registered.

Lucas Bergvall and Mohammed Kudus will be hoping Spurs remain in the competition as they are both still registered for the Champions League squad and are set to be the next players to return from injury alongside Destiny Udogie.

However, were Spurs to progress into the quarter-finals or beyond, then they would not be able to use Dejan Kulusevski or James Maddison should they return from injury in time as they have not been registered.

Wilson Odobert was registered for the knockout stages last month only to then suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury that will rule him out for much of 2026 and the Frenchman cannot now be replaced.

Tudor will be down a couple of players for the game in Spain, barring any further injuries, but should also have most of his first choice defence available for the first time in his reign.

Tottenham are in a whole heap of trouble in the Premier League and face a crunch run of fixtures that will decide their fate in the top flight

Tottenham have nine matches to decide their Premier League future and avoid a scenario that should have been unthinkable at the start of the season.

It was only nine months ago that Spurs fans swarmed the streets of the capital to enjoy the club's Europa League trophy parade. All of the good feeling from those days though has since dissipated with both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank having been sacked in the months since and interim head coach Igor Tudor also in danger after losing all three of his opening games in charge.

Tottenham have not won a single Premier League game yet in 2026 and that leaves them languishing just a point above the drop zone with Nottingham Forest and West Ham having found some momentum and threatening to both leapfrog the north London side.

The Lilywhites travel to Madrid this week to face Atletico on Tuesday night in their Champions League round of 16 first leg tie but it is the Premier League that must be the main focus in the time ahead.

Just nine games remain for Spurs to save their Premier League future and here are the five key matches we believe they must come up trumps in.

Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest - March 22

Spurs face a trip to Liverpool next weekend while West Ham host Manchester City and Forest welcome Fulham, but Tottenham rarely get anything from a day out at Anfield so that's unlikely to deliver a key game unless something remarkable happens.

Far more important is the home game against Forest a week later, following the Wednesday night second leg of the Champions League tie against Atletico. Spurs are at home for that European game and could do with the Nottingham side needing to put in a shift away at Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday night to leave them that little bit more tired just a couple of days after they land back in the UK.

Tottenham's home form has been disastrous but it needs to turn at some point and a strong performance would be the perfect way to send the side into the international break with a bit of momentum. West Ham are away at Aston Villa at the same time.

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Tottenham vs Brighton - April 18

This was Postecoglou's final game for the club and all these months on it will be a far more important encounter than the dead rubber it was that day last May.

Brighton are a real hit and miss team and lie 14th in the Premier League table currently. You could easily have picked this or the trip to Sunderland six days earlier as the key encounter of that fortnight but the Black Cats have the sixth best record at home in the competition with just two defeats.

Guess who's second from bottom in the home form table? Yep, it's Spurs. One bit of solace is that only four sides have worse away records than Brighton this season, with just three wins on the road from 14 games, but yes we know Dr Tottenham likes to cure all ills.

Spurs need to win though as Forest face Burnley at home on the same afternoon and West Ham travel to Crystal Palace two days later.

Wolves vs Tottenham - April 25

This will certainly not be the fixture it might have been a couple of months ago although Spurs have often had a mental block when it comes to visiting Molineux.

Wolves have been reenergised in recent weeks under Rob Edwards with back-to-back wins at home against Aston Villa and Liverpool, following a draw against Arsenal at Molineux. So make no mistake, this will not be a walk in the park against the Premier League's bottom side.

However, when looking at the away fixtures remaining this is the one that on paper, and Wolves having the third worst home record in the Premier League with two more points than Spurs, the visitors from London have to go into it looking to come away with a point or three before the trips to Villa Park and Stamford Bridge.

West Ham host Everton that day while Forest will have travelled to Sunderland the night before.

Tottenham vs Leeds - May 9

Another huge home game against a team that could be right in the relegation mix as Daniel Farke's Leeds side come to town in the third from last game of the campaign.

Spurs won 2-1 at Elland Road in October with goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, a game that feels like a lifetime ago right now. Former Tottenham defender Joe Rodon will be back in N17 looking for revenge but this is a game that the hosts just have to walk away with three points from against the promoted side.

Leeds have won just once away from home this season at this point with the third-worst away form in the Premier League and Spurs will be hoping that continues well into May.

On the same day Forest welcome Newcastle while the Hammers host Arsenal.

Tottenham vs Everton - May 24

We're really hoping this does not need to be a key encounter but if it is then the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will need to be noisier than it ever has before.

Everton could have European football to fight for at this point and David Moyes' side currently have the fourth best away form in the Premier League, having lost just four games on the road, so this is not the ideal final game of the season, coming a week after the trip to Stamford Bridge.

The final day of the season also sees West Ham take on Leeds at the London Stadium while Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth.

All will become clear at the close of play on May 24 and what division Spurs will be playing in next season, a situation that never should have got to this point.

It would have been tough enough for Igor Tudor to come into Tottenham Hotspur in its current state but to do so without a vital member of his backroom staff will have only made the job harder.

The Croatian is used to coming into clubs in a crisis and improving them and has done so at Juventus, Lazio and Udinese twice among numerous others in recent years. He had won his opening match at his five previous places of employment but at Spurs Tudor has instead lost his opening three matches at the helm as he experiences the Premier League for the first time.

Little has improved about the team from Thomas Frank's struggling side and one variable, aside from the club he is employed by, is that Tudor's trusted number two and compatriot Ivan Javorcic has not yet been able to join him in north London due to work permit problems.

Javorcic, who can speak English and Italian, and understands Spanish and German, has been an important link to the players at Tudor's previous couple of clubs in helping communicate the 47-year-old's ideas across to the squad quickly in order to rapidly improve results.

Tudor told football.london of his trusted assistant: "Yes it is an ongoing thing. We wait. Still we wait. Yeah, yeah [it's a work permit issue]. We are waiting."

Spurs brought in former Brighton player and coach Bruno Saltor to add to the Premier League experience in Tudor's backroom staff.

Javorcic is another 47-year-old Croatian and he and Tudor know each other well. Also born in Split, he was his assistant manager at both Juventus and Lazio and played his part in both clubs having an immediate surge in form just when they needed it the most.

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Tudor and Javorcic stabilized Lazio after Maurizio Sarri quit in March 2024 and they led the team to an unbeaten run in the league for his first two months after they joined. Then in March last year the duo arrived at Juventus and took them up the table to fourth place and Champions League qualification.

In both jobs, the duo recorded exactly the same set of results in the remainder of the season with nine games, five wins, three draws and one defeat. Tottenham would likely be delighted with a similar outcome.

Before linking up with Tudor, Javorcic was a manager himself at lower levels in Italian football, taking on newly-relegated Serie B side Venezia in 2022, and had worked within the youth set-up at Brescia before enjoying a caretaker stint for that club's senior team. In his playing days, Brescia was where he made his name as a defensive midfielder, playing in Serie A but mainly in Serie B and C.

He will still be hoping to bring his coaching attributes to the Premier League and a third stint by Tudor's side.