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Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 7-5 on aggregate against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, with Xavi Simons the pick of the Spurs bunch, and Pedro Porro enduring a rough night.

Spurs knew they had a lot of work to do after their disastrous first-leg tie last Tuesday, in which Diego Simeone’s side ran out 5-2 winners.

Igor Tudor took a lot of criticism for his decision to play and then drag off Antonin Kinsky that night, and he indeed went with Guglielmo Vicario in goal for the second leg.

Randal Kolo Muani gave Spurs hope of a comeback after half an hour, but an early second-half goal from Julian Alvarez put the tie firmly back in Atletico’s hands.

Xavi Simons scored twice in the second half but it still wasn’t enough for Tottenham, who despite winning 3-2 on the night, fell to a 7-5 aggregate defeat, marking the end of their Champions League hopes this season.

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Xavi Simons put in encouraging performance vs Atletico Madrid

Questions over Simons’ Tottenham role have been asked recently, with his impressive cameo as a substitute against Liverpool providing food for thought as to whether he may be a better impact player.

However, Tudor included him from the start against Atletico on Wednesday, and the Dutchman certainly repaid the faith shown in him with an excellent display.

The 22-year-old scored a wonderful goal just seven minutes into the second half, curling a perfectly placed effort from around 22 yards into the far corner of the net.

It wasn’t just his goal that saw him stand above the rest in Lilywhites shirts against Atletico, as he was at the centre of everything Spurs did well in attack, and was a contributing in defence too.

Simons also converted from the penalty spot in the 91st minute to give Tottenham the faintest of hopes of a dramatic finish to the game, but it wasn’t to be.

However, he can most certainly hold his head extremely hight, as this was a real statement display from Simons that will hopefully mark the beginning of a strong run of form between now and the end of the season.

Pedro Porro was hugely frustrating for Tottenham vs Atletico

One player who had far from his best game in a Tottenham shirt on Wednesday night was Pedro Porro.

The 26-year-old was Spurs’ best player in the first leg at the Metropolitano, scoring a goal and providing an assist in the 5-2 loss, but he was nowhere near that same standard in the second leg.

Operating at right wing-back, Porro endured a wasteful performance in attack, recording a passing accuracy of 58 per cent and having given the ball away 15 times, as per Sofascore.

He also played zero key passes, his three cross attempts were inaccurate, made just five carries with the ball, and made zero defensive contributions.

Porro won just two of his ground duels, made zero recoveries, clearances, interceptions or won any tackles against Atletico either.

In short, in was simply a highly disappointing and ineffective evening from the Spaniard, who Tottenham are going to need a lot more from in the coming weeks.

Tottenham player ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – 6

Micky van de Ven – 5

Cristian Romero – 6

Radu Dragusin – 5

Pedro Porro – 5

Archie Gray – 7

Pape Sarr – 6

Djed Spence – 5

Mathys Tel – 5

Xavi Simons – 9

Randal Kolo Muani – 7

Subs

Destiny Udogie (for Dragusin, 66) – 5

Lucas Bergvall (for Porro, 73) – 6

Conor Gallagher (for Gray, 81) – N/A

Callum Olusesi (for Tel, 81) – N/A

Tottenham given hope for seven-year first as supercomputer predicts result vs Atletico Madrid

Tottenham Hotspur are in dire need of an emphatic win when they host Atletico Madrid in their second-leg last-16 clash in the Champions League on Wednesday.

After finishing fourth in the Champions League group phase, Spurs have the advantage of playing the second leg in N17, but the loss at Riyadh Air Metropolitano has left Igor Tudor’s side with a mountain to climb.

Atletico Madrid ran out 5-2 winners in the first leg, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez running the show for the hosts.

When Tottenham meet Atletico Madrid in N17, they’ll need to be at their best if they want to win by three or more goals to qualify for the quarter-finals, but the Opta supercomputer has surely given their fans some hope.

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Tottenham predicted as slight favourites vs Atletico Madrid

Although the Premier League is the priority for Tudor, his side needs to put in a respectable performance to ease the discontent among fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, Tottenham have won all four of their Champions League home games this season by an aggregate score of 10-0. Only three times has a side won their first five without conceding in a single campaign – Deportivo de La Coruña in 2003-04, and Real Madrid in both 2010-11 and 2015-16.

According to Opta, Spurs are the slight favourites for Tuesday’s clash.

Before this season’s round of 16, there had been 51 occasions of a team losing the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie by three or more goals.

Only four of those have progressed to the next round, most recently Liverpool against Barcelona in the 2018-19 semi-finals.

Spurs are predicted to beat the Spaniards, and while the odds don’t suggest it will be a convincing victory, they’re still in with a shout of completing a memorable comeback.

Additionally, Atletico Madrid have now lost five of their last six visits to England, with their only win in that run coming against Man United in the 2021-22 season.

Atletico Madrid are breaking records of their own in the Champions League

Alvarez has already been involved in 10 Champions League goals this season (seven goals, three assists), the most ever by an Atletico Madrid player in a single campaign.

The Argentinian scored twice and assisted another in the first leg against Spurs, tormenting the backline throughout the evening.

This highlights a wider change at Atletico Madrid, as they have become more expansive this season.

The Spaniards have scored 29 goals in their 11 Champions League games this season, their most in a single campaign in the competition.

They went 3-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes against Spurs in the first leg, the earliest a team had ever netted three or more goals in a Champions League knockout stage match.

Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with some fantastic Irish players down the years, with the likes of Robbie Keane and Stephen Carr becoming N17 legends.

Spurs have seen some wonderful stars from across the Irish Sea wearing their famous Lilywhite shirt, and so there is much reason to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on 17 March in these parts.

Indeed, Tottenham will be hoping teenager forward Mason Melia is the next great Irishman to represent the club, having splashed a League of Ireland record fee to sign him from St Patrick’s Athletic in February of last year.

So, before Tottenham play Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night in the Champions League, Tottenham News takes a look back at some of the very best Irish players to ever play for Spurs in honour of St Patrick’s Day.

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Robbie Keane is arguably Tottenham’s greatest ever Irish player

There aren’t many better places to start than with one of Tottenham’s best ever goalscorers: Robbie Keane.

Joining Spurs from Leeds United in the summer of 2002 for a reported fee of £7million, Keane became an instant hit with the White Hart Lane crowd for his energy, character and ruthless finishing ability in front of goal.

Scorer of numerous hat-tricks and some truly spectacular strikes, Keane won Tottenham’s player of the year three times during his Spurs stint, before joining Liverpool in a big-money move in 2008.

The Republic of Ireland great soon returned to N17 in 2009 though, and stayed for his second spell with the Lilywhites until 2011, before moving to LA Galaxy in a permanent transfer.

In total, Keane ended his Tottenham career with 112 goals in 306 appearances, and was part of the Spurs side that won the League Cup in 2008. A true Tottenham and Irish legend.

Keane has been linked with becoming Tottenham manager numerous times in recent months, as he continues to do an excellent job with Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros.

Stephen Carr is one of Tottenham’s best academy products

After rising through the ranks of Tottenham’s academy, Stephen Carr broke into Spurs’ first-team in 1993 aged just 17, and stayed there for 11 years until 2004.

Making 270 appearances for the Lilywhites, the right-back earned PFA team of the year honours in the Premier League in both 2000-01 and 2002-03, and helped Tottenham win the League Cup in 1999.

Wing-backs weren’t really a thing during Carr’s Tottenham heyday, but he was certainly one of the more attacking full-backs around in the late 90s/early 2000s, and he scored some brilliant goals for Spurs as a result.

Carr eventually left Tottenham for Newcastle in 2004, before finishing his playing career with Birmingham where he also helped the Blues win the League Cup against Arsenal in 2010-11.

Capped 44 times for the Republic of Ireland, Carr remains one of Tottenham’s best ever academy graduates, and one of Ireland’s best ever defenders.

Danny Blanchflower and more of Tottenham’s Irish legends

Now let’s take a look at some of Tottenham’s other Irish heroes, starting with Danny Blanchflower.

Often regarded as one of the very best Irish players of all-time, Blanchflower was the captain of Tottenham’s famous League and FA Cup double-winning team of 1961.

He was bought by Tottenham for a reported fee of just £30,000 from Aston Villa in 1954, and went on to make just shy of 400 appearances for Spurs, which included two FA Cup wins, a League title, two Charity Shields and a European Cup Winners’ Cup win.

Pat Jennings joined Tottenham in 1964, and over the course of the next 13 years, forged a legacy as one of Tottenham and English football’s greatest ever goalkeepers.

Playing over 590 times for Spurs, Jennings won the FA Cup, two League Cups, a Charity Shield and a UEFA Cup/Europa League, as well as being nominated for three Ballon d’Or’s during his playing career.

Joe Kinnear, Chris Hughton, Gerry Armstrong, Jimmy Holmes and Tony Galvin are all also deserving of accreditations as being among Tottenham’s best ever Irish players too.

Tottenham Hotspur‘s January transfer gamble in signing Souza may be paying off after a slow start.

Souza swapped Santos for Tottenham in a £13million deal in January, but the 19-year-old had to be patient early on.

The left-back made a cameo off the bench in a 2-0 loss at Manchester United on 7 February, back when Thomas Frank was still in charge.

Following the Dane’s sacking, interim boss Igor Tudor has given the teenager more of a chance to shine, with two Premier League starts in his last three matches.

Archie Gray was signed for £40million by Tottenham in 2024, but he has predominantly played in defence so far, despite his strength being in midfield.

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And to date, Souza’s versatility is also being tested since signing for Tottenham.

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Igor Tudor not bothered about playing Souza out of position

Souza was signed by Spurs as a long-term prospect at left-back. Destiny Udogie isn’t much older at 23, but he has been linked with a return to Italy.

But with the Italy international consistently injured, although he is set to return for their crunch six-pointer with Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Souza has been given a chance to strut his stuff.

Indeed, the youngster has played at left-back and as a left midfielder for the north London team. He was even deployed as a right midfielder in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

In that match, he played 56 minutes, had one shot on target, a 100 per cent passing accuracy, and had nine touches.

For Tottenham so far, he has made four clearances and two interceptions, but his duel rate is down at 16.7 per cent. Moreover, he has won two fouls and conceded three.

He didn’t look out of his depth, especially against Liverpool. But once again, Tottenham are putting a lot of faith in a young player, as they have done with 20-year-olds Gray and Lucas Bergvall.

Gray, in particular, has repeatedly been played out of position, with the former Leeds United man being used as a centre-back, a full-back, and occasionally in midfield. While playing in multiple positions can be good for your game, too much of it can blunt a player’s edge.

Tottenham needed to sign players who improved their starting XI in January for what has now become a relegation battle.

Now it seems Souza is getting the square peg in a round hole treatment.

Igor Tudor may be delaying the inevitable

Tudor was brought in as interim manager until the end of the season in mid-February, but so far, it has been a wretched start at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Croatian has endured heavy defeats to Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Atletico Madrid, while seemingly angering players and fans with his approach.

After a 5-2 drubbing in the Champions League at Atletico, the pressure on Tudor reached fever point ahead of facing Liverpool, but a creditable 1-1 draw has sparked hope, in some quarters, of a revival.

As Jamie Carragher put it, Liverpool were sleepwalking in the second half against Spurs, who are one point above the relegation zone, as Richarlison’s late equaliser earned them an important point.

This was undoubtedly Tottenham’s best performance under Tudor, but that positivity could evaporate when they face Atletico in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Tuesday.

Moreover, they host Forest in a massive game in the Premier League on Sunday.

Tudor may yet turn things around, but for the time being, it still seems that this job may prove too much for the former Juventus manager.

Guglielmo Vicario is lucky his Tottenham Hotspur teammates put up a fight against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

Spurs travelled to Anfield on 15 March, with Igor Tudor securing a valuable point after Richarlison’s late equaliser in the 1-1 draw.

Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring for the Reds in the 18th minute from a free-kick, but the North London outfit’s goalkeeper arguably could’ve done better to keep it out.

Vicario has struggled at Tottenham this season and the 29-year-old Italian shot-stopper has been on the receiving end of supporters’ fury.

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What Tottenham fans are saying about Guglielmo Vicario after draw vs Liverpool

Tottenham fans on X want to see Vicario leave at the end of the season if they survive Premier League relegation.

The Lilywhites are 16th in the table, one point ahead of 18th-place West Ham United, and supporters in N17 want Tudor to take the goalkeeper with him out the door.

Fans have been left frustrated with the shot-stopper constantly costing the North London outfit points in the league.

Vicario was described as “woeful” by one supporter, while another called his display “grotesque”.

There are those who feel Spurs put in a decent performance at Anfield, but the former Empoli shot-stopper cost them.

Along with the goalkeeper, some of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful want to see Radu Dragusin leave, with the two defensive players coming under fire.

Johan Lange in for transfer headache at Spurs

If Johan Lange survives the axe at Spurs at the end of the season, he will undoubtedly be left with a major transfer decision.

The North London outfit’s sporting director will surely be tasked with finding a new goalkeeper and figuring out what to do with Vicario.

Antonin Kinsky could potentially look for a Tottenham exit, with fears among supporters that the 22-year-old Czechia shot-stopper may never recover from his mistakes against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

The recruitment team should be in overdrive in the summer, but one of the main focuses has to be the addition of a quality goalkeeper.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs will reportedly give Igor Tudor at least two more games to save his job as interim manager.

The Croatian lost his first four games in charge of Spurs in all competitions prior to Sunday’s deserved 1-1 draw away at Liverpool.

Spurs remain winless in the league this calendar year, but the draw at Anfield at least keeps them one point above the drop zone.

Tudor looked on the verge of being sacked by Spurs last week, but he will now get another week in the N17 hotseat.

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Igor Tudor to stay in charge for crucial Nottingham Forest clash

Spurs have a midweek Champions League last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid to come, but fans can be forgiven for already looking ahead to next weekend.

The Lilywhites trail Atletico Madrid 5-2 after a calamitous showing in the Spanish capital last weekend that could have turned out a lot worse than it actually did.

But any hopes of a comeback are extremely slim, with Tudor having a far bigger clash against fellow strugglers Forest to come on Sunday.

Forest are a point behind Spurs, level on points with West Ham United in 18th, so it is not hyperbolic to describe that as one of the biggest league games in the North London club’s recent history.

If Sky Sports‘ update on Monday evening is anything to go by, Spurs chiefs have made a howler.

If that midweek game with Atleti ends in embarrassment, much like the first leg, it would surely make sense to roll the dice before facing Forest.

Spurs simply cannot afford to slip up next weekend. Even a draw would be a bad result, so a win is very much needed.

Tudor needs to count his blessings

The performance at Anfield was much improved, granted, but the previous four results and performances cannot be brushed under the carpet.

A fifth defeat in six, in horror circumstances, should spell the end for Tudor. If Spurs chiefs have any sense, they would already have another option lined up.

Tudor is fortunate to even be in charge this long as he seems the wrong man at the wrong time – there is no worse combo.

But this is Spurs in 2026, and Tudor will now oversee that truly massive Premier League clash with Forest next weekend.

James Rowswell became Tottenham Hotspur‘s latest debutant in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

The 19-year-old defender replaced Richarlison in second-half stoppage time just after the Brazilian had scored the equaliser.

It was his 12th appearance in the matchday squad, but the first time that he has made it onto the pitch, as he became Legacy Number 904.

That means that Rowswell is the 904th player to play for Tottenham’s senior side in their history, after making his competitive debut for the North London club.

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Who is the latest Tottenham star James Rowswell?

Rowswell has been at Tottenham since the age of five, and signed his first professional contract with his boyhood club in the 2023-24 season.

He was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and attended Richard Hale School, where he was a keen swimmer.

He made his debut for England Under-16s in December 2021 against Turkey, but is yet to appear in any of the older age groups.

Rowswell is traditionally a centre-back but can also play right-back, which should serve him well as he tries to break through and stay in the senior side.

He appeared on the bench seven times under Thomas Frank, and Igor Tudor had included him in four previous squads before handing him his debut in his fifth game in charge against the Reds.

Why the future is bright for Rowswell

The future is bright for Rowswell because Spurs may have a crisis at centre-back and right-back when the summer transfer window comes around.

Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro look likely to attract significant interest from across Europe, which could leave an opportunity for him to make more appearances in the near future.

The fact that he has made his debut before the likes of Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai, who are very highly rated in N17, is a very encouraging sign for the young defender.

He will hope that his moment is not a flash in the pan, that will disappear when Tudor leaves in the summer, and he can have an impression on the new manager, whoever that may be.

Given his showing against the Merseysiders, where he stopped a promising attack in the dying embers, he should be able to do so.

Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest fans have been warned to take extra care when making travel arrangements for next weekend’s blockbuster Premier League clash.

Spurs are one point ahead of Forest in the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League, with the Reds currently level with West Ham United in 18th.

It sets up an intriguing battle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, where a sell-out crowd can once again be expected.

However, there will be some travel disruption around the ground on the day of Spurs’ clash with Forest.

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Various train and underground alterations in place

Thousands of fans will be making their way to the ground via the various train networks, but there will be disruption this coming weekend.

Liverpool Street – the UK’s busiest train station – will be shut on the day of the game. No Weaver Line services will operate through White Hart Lane.

While replacement buses will be in place, it is recommended that supporters use the Victoria Line instead.

Meanwhile, Greater Anglia services will now run on an amended timetable to and from Stratford due to Liverpool Street being closed.

Furthermore, the Piccadilly Line will be closed between Cockfosters and Uxbridge.

Those attending the fixture are advised to check the Transport for London and National Rail websites for the most up-to-date information.

What else do I need to know if attending Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest?

It is also worth noting that Bruce Grove and Silver Street stations will be closed for two hours after the game, which kicks off at 2:15pm on Sunday.

As ever, there will also be multiple road closures in place around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while various parking enforcement measures are also in place.

It is advised that if attending to the ground from the Central London area, use the Victoria Line where possible.

And as ever, leave plenty of time for your journey to the game in order to avoid any unwanted disruption.

While the closure of Liverpool Street is far from ideal, there are still plenty of other routes and methods of travel.

Guglielmo Vicario has been cleared of any blame after Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Italian started in between the sticks as the Lilywhites travelled to face Liverpool at Anfield in desperate need of a result.

It looked as if things were going to follow a similar path for Igor Tudor when the Hungarian international slammed home a free kick.

His strike after 18 minutes didn’t have the desired effect as Richarlison went on to net a late equaliser to steal a point for the Lilywhites.

Vicario has still come under pressure after Tottenham drew 1-1 at Liverpool, but it appears that he doesn’t deserve any negative reviews.

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Bryan King clears Guglielmo Vicario of blame vs Liverpool

The 29-year-old has hardly covered himself in glory this season and has conceded 18 goals since the start of February alone.

That has hardly painted a positive picture and even prompted Tudor to throw Antonin Kinsky in at the deep end away to Atletico Madrid.

The youngster lasted just 17 minutes and was once again replaced by Vicario, but pressure has still surrounded the ex-Empoli man.

Szoboszlai’s free kick hasn’t helped matters, especially as many believed he should have done better after getting a hand to the ball.

That isn’t the feeling of former Millwall keeper Bryan King, who believes the Italian did all he could against a superb effort from the Liverpool man.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “To be fair to Vicario, he was in the right position to start with because his wall was on the right side.

“When the ball comes over the wall like that, his reactions were slow, but you can’t blame him for the goal.

“I don’t think he’s made a mistake.

“Szoboszlai has hit free kicks from further out than that. What he does with a ball is special.

“It’s far too easy just to blame the keeper. It was a hell of a free kick, he’s got a hand to it but just couldn’t divert it past the post.”

That is the feeling of the former scout and keeper, all while Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney tear into Vicario for his antics at Anfield.

Vicario didn’t cover himself in glory vs Liverpool

King has cleared the Spurs number one of blame for Liverpool’s opening goal, which comes as a surprise based on the general scrutiny surrounding him.

That will certainly mean more to Vicario, coming from a former goalkeeper who made over 540 appearances in between the sticks.

He may be safe from pressure for the free-kick, but that isn’t to say he was particularly great in other parts of his game at Anfield.

The shot stopper did make three saves, but failed to show his authority after not making a single high claim or punch inside his area.

If he had just diverted Szoboszlai’s effort past the post, it would have been a totally different story, and it is those small margins that are seriously costing Tottenham right now.

Callum Olusesi enjoyed a Premier League debut to remember after helping Tottenham Hotspur secure a crucial 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

Spurs’ lengthy injury list rendered Igor Tudor’s squad threadbare for the daunting trip to Anfield, but in crisis came opportunity for youngsters Olusesi and James Rowswell.

The duo were among just seven substitutes, with two goalkeepers also making up the numbers, but Tudor was happy to rely on both of them in the closing stages.

Olusesi, in particular, caught the eye during his 14-minute cameo against Liverpool, proving that the 19-year-old is already more than good enough to play a part in this relegation fight.

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How did Callum Olusesi play vs Liverpool?

Max Dowman’s match-winning heroics for Arsenal in their victory against Everton may have stolen the headlines over the weekend, but Olusesi was quietly superb on Merseyside.

The teenager was a calming influence despite the Anfield din and watched on as Richarlison pounced in the 90th minute to score a deserved equaliser for the North London side.

According to Sofascore, he took nine touches, predominantly in the centre of midfield, and completed eight passes while boasting an impressive 100 per cent accuracy.

Seven of those passes found their desired target inside Liverpool’s half, which allowed the visitors to slowly but surely turn the screw on their opponents in their chase for a leveller.

Olusesi also did his part defensively, making two recoveries in the final minutes.

Despite his tender age, the wonderkid is showing wisdom – and quality – beyond his years, and that bodes very well indeed for Tottenham, both now and in the future.

Spurs right to reject Olusesi bids

According to The Standard, Olusesi attracted interest from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands in January, with £6million bids from Hoffenheim and PSV Eindhoven rebuffed.

His burgeoning reputation and standout academy performances were enough to convince clubs to swoop, and he is now beginning to make his mark at a senior level, too.

Understandably, Spurs did not want to let him leave, and his latest display will only have strengthened this resolve. He is also crucially tied down to a long-term deal signed last April.

After describing his top-flight debut as a “dream come true”, Olusesi put his focus back on the club’s relegation plight. This mentality suggests he will have a very bright future indeed.