Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur have apparently received a huge injury boost ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second leg with Atletico Madrid, which Jan Oblak will miss.

The Lilywhites will welcome their Spanish counterparts to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a renewed sense of optimism following a well-deserved 1-1 draw with Liverpool in Sunday's Premier League showdown.

Igor Tudor's men are nevertheless fighting an uphill battle to prolong their European adventure, though, having suffered a catastrophic 5-2 loss to Atletico in last Tuesday's first leg.

Tudor's goalkeeping calamity made the headlines at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Antonin Kinsky was given the nod over Guglielmo Vicario but was substituted after just 17 minutes following two disastrous mistakes.

Vicario did not cover himself in glory for Dominik Szoboszlai's free kick against Liverpool either, but the Italian is expected to guard the sticks against Atletico, who in contrast will be without their number one goalkeeper.

Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak 'ruled out' of Tottenham second leg

According to Marca, Oblak will be unavailable for the second leg in the English capital due to an injury to his side, which also kept him out of Saturday's La Liga win over Getafe.

The Slovenian's muscular strain will supposedly not heal in time for the visit to Tottenham, and he is also a serious doubt for Atletico's derby with city rivals Real Madrid on Sunday at the Bernabeu.

Instead, the Atletico posts will be protected by the Argentinian Juan Musso, whose only previous UCL appearance this season came in a 2-1 win over Inter Milan during the league phase.

However, the 31-year-old boasts an impressive 11 clean sheets from his 17 matches in an Atletico kit, and he recently made history as the first La Liga goalkeeper in the 21st century to keep four clean sheets in his first four games.

Oblak will be one of three Atletico absentees in North London, as midfield duo Rodrigo Mendoza and Pablo Barrios will not be involved due to respective muscular and ankle problems.

Will Tottenham have any injured players back for Atletico second leg?

While Oblak has cemented his status as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Musso is a more than competent backup for a Rojiblancos side who arrive with a surely unassailable three-goal advantage.

On Tottenham's end, Tudor was without no fewer than 13 players for Sunday's draw with Liverpool, although the suspended Micky van de Ven will return from his domestic ban this week.

Conor Gallagher's illness could also clear up in time for the midfielder to face his former club, while neither Destiny Udogie (thigh) nor Yves Bissouma (muscle) have been ruled out just yet either.

However, Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha should remain out due to concussion protocols, while Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies are all long-term absentees.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Igor Tudor could make three changes to his starting side for Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second leg with Atletico Madrid.

Micky van de Ven missed the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday through suspension, but the Netherlands international will be back in the fold for this match.

Van de Ven is set to come in for Radu Dragusin, while Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani could replace Richarlison and Souza.

Richarlison will be a big miss for Spurs on Wednesday, with the Brazilian suspended due to the milestone yellow card that he picked up in the first leg.

Tottenham will once again be without the services of a whole host of important players for the Champions League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Richarlison (suspended), Yves Bissouma (muscle), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Ben Davies (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee) and Wilson Odobert (knee) are all out of the fixture.

Meanwhile, Conor Gallagher (illness), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Cristian Romero (head) and Joao Palhinha (head) will all need to be assessed.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Sarr; Tel, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke

Tottenham Hotspur will look to complete a spectacular turnaround when they welcome Atletico Madrid to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night for the second leg of their last-16 contest in the Champions League.

Spurs suffered a 5-2 defeat to Atletico in the first leg last week and therefore have it all to do in order to be present in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Match preview

Tottenham managed to end a six-game losing run in all competitions against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, with Richarlison's last-gasp leveller at Anfield securing a welcome point for a Spurs side that continue to be led by interim head coach Igor Tudor.

There were strong calls for Tudor to lose his job following the 5-2 loss to Atletico last week, but Tottenham refused to make a change, and there is no question that the North London outfit put in a much-improved performance against Liverpool last time out.

Tottenham are firmly locked in a Premier League relegation battle, but their attention is now on the Champions League, as the capital outfit look to perform what would be a sensational turnaround in order to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

On paper, it is a very tough task, but football has a funny way of producing the unexpected, and it would be some story if Tudor could lead Tottenham to an unthinkable last-eight spot.

Spurs have only won three of their last 16 UEFA games against Spanish opposition, though, and Atletico have been victorious in 10 of their 14 UEFA two-legged ties against English clubs.

Atletico have actually won seven of their last 11 Champions League last-16 ties, while they have opened the scoring in seven of their last eight matches in the competition.

Scoring first against Spurs on Wednesday would give them a four-goal advantage in the tie, and it is incredibly difficult to imagine Tottenham recovering from that, as the home side will once again be missing a whole host of important players through injury and suspension.

Atletico have not been perfect this season, far from it, and there are certainly weaknesses in their side, with Diego Simeone's team going through a transitional period.

The Red and Whites will enter this match off the back of a win, beating Getafe 1-0 on Saturday, and they will have had longer to prepare for this second leg, although the travelling time, which brings undoubted fatigue, must be taken into account.

In truth, it would be one of the biggest shocks in the history of the tournament if Atletico failed to advance to the quarter-finals from this position, and progression would see them take on Newcastle United or Barcelona in the final eight.

Tottenham Hotspur Champions League form:

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Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

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Atletico Madrid Champions League form:

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Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

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Team News

Tottenham will once again be without the services of a whole host of important players for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Atletico, but Micky van de Ven will return after missing the Liverpool game through suspension.

Richarlison (suspended), Yves Bissouma (muscle), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Ben Davies (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee) and Wilson Odobert (knee) are all out.

Meanwhile, Conor Gallagher (illness), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Cristian Romero (head) and Joao Palhinha (head) will all need to be assessed before final decisions are made.

There could be three changes to the side that started against Liverpool, with Xavi Simons, Van de Ven and Randal Kolo Muani potentially coming in for Richarlison, Radu Dragusin and Souza.

As for Atletico, the Spanish outfit's number one goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been ruled out with a muscular issue, so Juan Musso will feature between the sticks.

Rodrigo Mendoza remains out, while Pablo Barrios needs to be assessed, but Simeone's side have no further issues ahead of the contest.

Musso for Oblak could be the only change from the side that started the first leg between the two sides, with sweeping changes set to be made from the league game with Getafe.

Antoine Griezmann is likely to feature alongside Julian Alvarez in the final third of the field, while there should be a spot in the middle of the midfield for Johnny Cardoso.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Sarr; Tel, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Musso; Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Atletico Madrid (Atletico Madrid win 7-4 on aggregate)

Tottenham were much-improved against Liverpool in the Premier League and will therefore arrive into this match with a degree of confidence, but they have simply given themselves too much to do, so we strongly fancy Atletico to advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Tottenham Hotspur will need a spectacular result on Wednesday night if they are to move past Atletico Madrid and advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Spurs trail 5-2 to Atletico from the first leg of their last-16 contest in the competition, leaving the North London outfit with a mountain to climb in the reverse match.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up their latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest with Atletico, who are the red-hot favourites to advance to the final eight.

Cristian Romero

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Head

Possible return date: March 18 (vs. Atletico)

Romero was forced off in the closing stages of the defeat to Atletico following a clash of heads with teammate Joao Palhinha - the defender missed out against Liverpool, but there is a chance that he could return vs. Atletico in the second leg.

Joao Palhinha

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Head

Possible return date: March 18 (vs. Atletico)

Palhinha was taken off towards the end of the defeat to Atletico following a clash of heads with teammate Romero, and he remains a doubt for this clash.

Destiny Udogie

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: March 18 (vs. Atletico)

Udogie sustained a hamstring injury in Spurs' loss to Man United at Old Trafford on February 7, but the defender could be back in the squad vs. Atletico.

Ben Davies

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle/Foot

Possible return date: April 11 (vs. Sunderland)

Davies was stretchered off with a severe ankle injury against West Ham United in January, and the defender faces another month or so on the sidelines.

Lucas Bergvall

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: April 11 (vs. Sunderland)

Bergvall is nursing a serious ankle problem, and the highly-rated midfielder is not expected to be back on the field until the middle of April.

Mohammed Kudus

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: April 11 (vs. Sunderland)

Kudus was forced off in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on January 4 with a thigh injury, and the problem will keep him out for at least another month.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: May 2 (vs. Aston Villa)

Bentancur suffered a severe hamstring injury at the beginning of the year, and the midfielder is currently working towards returning at the start of May.

Wilson Odobert

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Odobert ruptured his ACL in the defeat to Newcastle on February 10, so the attacker will not be involved for the remainder of the campaign.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: Unknown

Maddison has been sidelined since sustaining an ACL injury in August, and the attacker is working towards being available for the start of pre-season.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Kulusevski is still recovering from a long-term knee injury, and it is unclear when the Sweden international will be available to make his return.

Conor Gallagher

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: March 18 (vs. Atletico)

Gallagher missed out against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon due to an illness, but the midfielder should be back in the squad against Atletico.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Richarlison

Return date: March 22 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Richarlison was on the scoresheet in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, but the Brazilian is suspended against Atletico due to the milestone yellow card that he picked up in the first leg in the Spanish capital.

Tottenham Hotspur managerial target Roberto De Zerbi has no desire to return to management before the end of the season, the latest report has claimed.

Interim Spurs boss Igor Tudor was reportedly under pressure heading into this weekend's clash against Liverpool having lost his first four games in charge.

However, the head coach managed to help his side earn a point at Anfield despite his side missing more than a dozen players due to either injury or suspension.

While the result ensured that his team would not drop into the Premier League's relegation zone, he has still failed to win any of his first five matches.

Journalist Alex Crook claims that reported target Roberto De Zerbi has no plans to return to management before the end of the season following his dismissal from Marseille earlier this year.

Roberto De Zerbi: Should Tottenham appoint former Brighton manager?

De Zerbi already has considerable experience in the Premier League having coached Brighton & Hove Albion between 2022 and 2024, and he should in theory be able to get up to speed with the demands of the division quickly.

Legendary coaches such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have praised the 46-year-old's style of play, with the manager having implemented a ball-dominant approach at every club he has been in charge of.

The Italian led Marseille to second place in 2024-25, and he departed France with the club in fourth place in February 2026, and his league performances were admirable despite reported trouble behind the scenes at the French side.

There are some concerns about his temperament, but De Zerbi would be a strong candidate to take on the job at Tottenham on a permanent basis.

Mauricio Pochettino, Andoni Iraola: Alternative managers?

After participating in relegation battles in two consecutive seasons, Tottenham cannot afford to be involved in a third should they remain in the top flight for another campaign.

Some fans might see the benefit of bringing back familiar face Mauricio Pochettino, who helped rebuild the club from obscurity to title challengers in the 2010s.

However, the Argentine's project arguably grew stale, and it may be more rewarding to appoint a younger manager with an exciting style of play.

Today's Premier League predictions include an Anfield blockbuster between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, while Manchester United host Aston Villa in a crucial top-five battle.

Nottingham Forest vs. Fulham (Sunday, 2pm)

© Iconsport / PA Images / Icon Sport

Nottingham Forest welcome Fulham to the City Ground on Sunday afternoon for their latest instalment of Premier League action.

Forest came from behind twice to draw 2-2 away to Manchester City in their previous league outing, while the Cottagers were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham United.

We say: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Fulham

As the pressure continues to ramp on Tottenham Hotspur, who are only one point above the drop, we can see the teams around them picking up some confidence as we approach a nervy run in for the sides near the bottom.

Forest will no doubt be disappointed by their result in the week, however we are backing them to bounce back against Fulham and claim three crucial points in their bid for survival.

> Click here to read our full preview for Nottingham Forest vs. Crystal Palace, including team news and possible lineups

Crystal Palace vs. Leeds (Sunday, 2pm)

© Imago / Pro Sports Images

Crystal Palace play host to Leeds United on Sunday afternoon, looking for the victory that may move the Eagles into the top half of the Premier League table by the end of the weekend.

Meanwhile, Leeds make the trip to Selhurst Park eager to halt a four-match winless streak that has resulted in the Yorkshire giants being pulled back into a relegation scrap.

We say: Crystal Palace 1-1 Leeds United

With one eye on the second leg against Larnaca, it remains to be seen whether Palace rest players for this contest. Meanwhile, Leeds have reached a point where a share of the spoils on their travels could prove pivotal come the end of the season.

Taking both of those into consideration, we would not be surprised to see a low-scoring draw play out at Selhurst Park.

> Click here to read our full preview for Crystal Palace vs. Leeds, including team news and possible lineups

Man United vs. Aston Villa (Sunday, 2pm)

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Fighting for their fifth straight Old Trafford victory under the leadership of Michael Carrick, Manchester United host fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils suffered their first defeat since the arrival of the 44-year-old interim boss last time out, whilst the Villans have been busy dealing with continental matters in France this week.

We say: Man United 2-1 Aston Villa

Boasting a perfect record at Old Trafford under the tutelage of Carrick, Manchester United will be confident of extending their winning run this weekend, especially given the amount of preparation time they have enjoyed for this match.

Meanwhile, an injury-hit Aston Villa rush to the Theatre of Dreams after a Thursday night clash in France, with the Villans possibly set to suffer three straight Premier League defeats for the first time since February 2023.

> Click here to read our full preview for Man United vs. Aston Villa, including team news and possible lineups

Liverpool vs. Tottenham (Sunday, 4.30pm)

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The fixture that holds special places in Liverpool hearts after the events of 2024-25, the Reds do battle Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League showdown at Anfield.

The hosts' 5-1 win in this game last season confirmed their status as Premier League champions, and an identical outcome is not beyond the realm of possibility while Spurs sink to even lower lows.

We say: Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham

Tottenham's hierarchy and available players have not helped themselves along the way, but the Lilywhites have faced an injury crisis of untold proportions throughout the season, and their stretched squad will almost certainly fall short again.

Some may simply be wondering how many Liverpool will put past their beleaguered visitors, and we expect the Reds to hit the Lilywhites for three this time around.

A repeat of the fixture that won Liverpool the 2024-25 Premier League title, the Reds welcome crisis club Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot's men have wrongs to right after Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray, as do the Lilywhites following their sixth loss on the spin - 5-2 to Atletico Madrid - and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

LIVERPOOL vs. TOTTENHAM

LIVERPOOL

Out: Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle), Alexander Isak (leg)

Doubtful: Alisson Becker (muscle), Federico Chiesa (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike

TOTTENHAM

Out: Destiny Udogie (thigh), Cristian Romero (head), Joao Palhinha (head), Micky van de Ven (suspended), Yves Bissouma (unspecified), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Ben Davies (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Wilson Odobert (knee)

Doubtful: Conor Gallagher (illness)

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is 'not regarded' as a candidate for Manchester United's head coach position.

Michael Carrick is currently the individual in the Old Trafford hotseat after being appointed as interim boss in January following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

Carrick's arrival has had a positive impact on results, with the 44-year-old overseeing six wins in eight Premier League matches in his second spell as the club's caretaker manager.

As a result of their fine form under Carrick, Man United are sitting in third place in the Premier League table, boasting a three-point buffer to Chelsea and Liverpool in fifth and sixth spot respectively.

Pochettino 'not regarded' in Man United manager search

Carrick has already staked his claim to be the club's new permanent head coach and will only boost his chances if he leads his side to Champions League qualification.

According to ESPN, Man United's hierarchy have been impressed with Carrick's approach and success, although they are in no rush to give him the job on a permanent basis.

The club's decision-makers appear to be keeping their options open in their search for Amorim's permanent replacement.

While they are considering a number of candidates, Pochettino is not one of those in the frame for the manager's job.

Pochettino is currently in charge of the USA national team, with his contract set to expire after the World Cup.

As a result, he will become available ahead of the 2026-27 season and could make a return to the club management for the first time since leaving Chelsea in 2024.

However, Man United believe Pochettino is on course to return to Tottenham Hotspur, ruling him out of the running for the head coach role at Old Trafford.

Will Pochettino be the next Spurs boss?

Pochettino continues to be linked with a return to Spurs after he developed a strong relationship with the fanbase during his five-year spell in charge of the north London club.

However, a potential second stint as Tottenham boss will surely depend on the result of the club's relegation battle.

Spurs are currently sitting a point above the relegation zone, and it is difficult to see a scenario in which Pochettino would be willing to take on the job if the club drop down to the Championship.

There is also the possibility that Tottenham could look to appoint an immediate permanent manager to replace struggling interim boss Igor Tudor.

Any permanent appointment before the summer would rule Pochettino out of the running due to his current obligations as USA head coach.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly started to search for potential candidates to replace interim boss Igor Tudor.

The 47-year-old was appointed last month on a deal until the end of the season following the decision to relieve Thomas Frank of his duties as Spurs head coach.

Tudor was brought in to spark an immediate upturn in fortunes to ease the club's fears over a shock relegation.

However, rather than overseeing an improvement, performances and results have taken a turn for the worse under the former Juventus manager.

Tudor has lost each of his four competitive matches in charge, conceding at least three goals in three of those defeats.

Spurs working to find Tudor replacement

Under Tudor's watch, Spurs slumped to Premier League defeats against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, before they fell to a heavy 5-2 loss in Tuesday's Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid - a game in which he hauled off goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after 17 minutes following two costly errors.

The ex-Marseille boss is now preparing his relegation-threatened side for a tricky Premier League away clash against reigning champions Liverpool.

While Tudor will remain in the dugout for the trip to Anfield, there is growing doubt about whether he will still be in charge for the Champions League last-16 second leg against Atletico on Wednesday.

According to The Athletic, Spurs are 'actively working' on a search for potential options to replace their current interim boss.

The report claims that sacking Tudor is seen as a 'sensible course of action' should the team fall to another Premier League defeat on Sunday.

If Spurs opt to dismiss Tudor, the club's key decision-makers will have to decide whether to appoint another interim manager or find a new permanent head coach.

Should Spurs sack Tudor?

Spurs hoped that Tudor's previous experience of working as an interim manager would enable them to secure safety and then look to make a long-term appointment in the summer.

However, they now have to rethink those plans because Tudor's appointment has completely backfired, with Spurs sitting just a point clear of the drop zone ahead of the weekend's round of fixtures.

Unless there is a significant improvement on Sunday, Tottenham will have to hit the panic button and sack Tudor just a month after his arrival in north London.

The Spurs hierarchy would then have to make one of their toughest decisions in modern history, knowing that another failed managerial appointment could lead to the club's first relegation from the top flight since 1977.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot may consider axing Florian Wirtz from his starting XI when the Reds welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield for Sunday's Premier League showdown.

The Germany international has made a full recovery from a back injury, but he struggled to get into the game during Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League loss to Galatasaray and was hooked on the hour mark.

With the Reds aiming to turn that deficit around in next week's second leg, Wirtz could be spared from the first whistle on Sunday, especially if Slot feels the need to err on the side of caution with his fitness.

Wirtz's loss could be Cody Gakpo's gain on the left flank; Slot has affirmed that Rio Ngumoha is an option to start games, but his words and his actions with the teenager have contradicted themselves, so it would be a shock to see Ngumoha trusted from the off.

Federico Chiesa is expected to return from illness in time for the weekend, but Mohamed Salah should still start against his joint-favourite opponent; he has scored 16 goals vs. Spurs in all competitions, the same total he has managed against Manchester United.

Further changes could see Curtis Jones, Jeremie Frimpong and Andrew Robertson all come into the XI, as Slot manages a tight turnaround in between domestic and European fixtures.

First-choice number one Alisson Becker missed Tuesday's loss to Galatasaray due to a small muscle issue, and while Slot is hopeful of having the Brazilian back, Giorgi Mamardashvili performed well in midweek and deserves another opportunity.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike