Sports Mole

Nottingham Forest head coach has selected a starting lineup for Thursday's Europa League fixture at FC Midtjylland that makes it clear that the next Premier League fixture is his priority.

Although Forest trail their Danish hosts by a 1-0 scoreline, they also face Tottenham Hotspur in a must-not-lose top flight game on Sunday.

As a result, Pereira has made nine changes and seemingly changed formation for the game at the MCH Arena.

With Zach Abbott, Nikola Milenkovic and Morato the only recognised defenders, there is seemingly the possibility of a 3-4-2-1 formation.

However, Ryan Yates and James McAtee could potentially line up in central midfield if Nicolas Dominguez is used at left-back.

If wing-backs are used, Dilane Bakwa and Omari Hutchinson could be deployed in that role, with Lorenzo Lucca leading the line.

Having been added to the Europa League squad, goalkeeper Stefan Ortega is selected between the sticks.

FC Midtjylland make two changes from Forest first leg

Meanwhile, FC Midtjylland have made two alterations from the team that started the 1-0 victory at the City Ground last week.

Kevin Mbabu misses out through the injury that he sustained during that game, while Aril Simsir has dropped down to the substitutes' bench.

Valdemar Byskov and Dario Osorio are the duo to earn recalls to the first XI.

FC Midtjylland XI: Ofalsson; Erlich, Bech, Diao, Bak, Byskov, Castillo, Bravo, Billing, Osorio, Brumado

Subs: Lossl, Ugboh, Lee, Gabriel, Ze, Cho, Gogorza, Chilufya, Uhre, Emefile, Simsir

Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega; Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato; Bakwa, Yates, Dominguez, Hutchinson; Ndoye, McAtee; Lucca

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action on Sunday afternoon when they play host to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Although Spurs were eliminated from the Champions League by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, Igor Tudor already had one eye on this mammoth domestic fixture.

Spurs head into this contest with their 17th-placed opponents sitting just one point above the Premier League relegation zone.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up their latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest with the Tricky Trees, who have one less day to prepare courtesy of their Europa League fixture with FC Midtjylland on Thursday.

Joao Palhinha

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Head

Possible return date: March 22 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Joao Palhinha has missed the last two matches due to serving concussion protocols after a clash of heads during the first leg against Atletico. However, the midfielder is expected to return to the squad for this fixture.

Ben Davies

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle/Foot

Possible return date: April 11 (vs. Sunderland)

Ben 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.

Mohammed Kudus

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: April 11 (vs. Sunderland)

Mohammed 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 approximately another month.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

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

Rodrigo 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

Wilson Odobert ruptured his ACL in the defeat to Newcastle United 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

James 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

Dejan 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.

Dominic Solanke

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Hip

Possible return date: March 22 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Although Dominic Solanke missed out against Atletico Madrid with a hip problem, Tudor has revealed that the forward is likely to be in a position to return against Forest.

Yves Bissouma

Status: Out

Type of injury: Muscle

Possible return date: Unknown

Yves Bissouma is facing another spell on the sidelines with a muscular problem, and it is unclear at this stage when the midfielder could be available again.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Spurs have no players suspended for this match, with Richarlison available again after serving a ban in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur and their turbulent season has taken yet another twist, with fresh clarity emerging over the future of Igor Tudor just days before a crucial showdown in the Premier League.

After a disastrous start to life in north London, the Croatian’s position looked all but untenable, but recent performances have at least bought him a temporary reprieve.

The ENIC Group have been weighing up their options amid growing unrest both on and off the pitch. While results initially nosedived under Tudor, there are now signs, albeit small, that his methods may be starting to resonate with parts of the squad at a critical stage of the campaign.

Tottenham stance on Igor Tudor future now revealed before Nottingham Forest clash

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs have decided to keep Tudor in charge for this weekend’s crunch match with Nottingham Forest, despite serious concerns following his dreadful start.

The 47-year-old lost his first four matches in charge, prompting internal discussions about potential replacements and even emergency interim options.

However, the mood has shifted slightly after a pair of improved performances this week, including a battling draw at Anfield and a spirited 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in Europe, though that was not enough to overturn a heavy aggregate deficit. However, it appears to have restored a degree of belief within the club.

Those displays have convinced decision-makers to stick, for now, with Tudor. Importantly, though, this is being viewed as a pragmatic call rather than a full endorsement, with Spurs continuing to assess the managerial market behind the scenes.

Will Igor Tudor last the rest of the season at Spurs?

The reality is that Tudor remains under intense pressure. His position is described internally as 'game-to-game,' highlighting just how fragile his grip on the role is despite the recent uptick in performances.

Tottenham are understood to have explored multiple alternatives over recent weeks, including former player Robbie Keane, but a lack of viable short-term options has played a key role in their decision to persist with the current setup.

Many of their preferred long-term candidates are either unavailable or unwilling to step into a relegation scrap mid-season.

That leaves Tudor walking a tightrope. A positive result against Forest could buy him more time, but defeat, especially if it drags Spurs into the bottom three, would almost certainly force the club to accelerate plans for another change.

Spurs are one bad result away from disaster in Premier League relegation battle

There is no escaping the scale of the situation Tottenham find themselves in.

A club of their stature should not be flirting with relegation, yet inconsistent performances, questionable decisions, and managerial instability have dragged them into a genuine crisis.

Even with signs of improvement, the overall picture remains chaotic. Confidence is fragile, the dressing room is not fully convinced, there is a cloud hanging over the interim manager, and the owners continue to face scrutiny for how events have unfolded.

Tudor, ultimately, looks like a short-term fix that has not worked.

One more poor result, especially against a direct relegation rival like Forest, could tip the balance from uncertainty into full-blown disaster.

Tottenham Hotspur have received a major triple injury boost before the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

Igor Tudor's men will have to pull off a colossal comeback to keep their European adventure alive, having succumbed to a 5-2 first-leg loss to Diego Simeone's side last Tuesday evening.

However, the reigning Europa League champions come into the return fixture with a renewed sense of optimism, having unexpectedly taken a point away from Liverpool in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw.

Spurs held the champions to a stalemate despite missing a total of 13 players through a combination of injury, suspension or illness, but a handful could now return for the visit of Atletico.

Micky van de Ven will firstly make his comeback after sitting out the Liverpool draw through suspension, and his centre-back partner Cristian Romero was also seen in team training on Tuesday.

Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall back in Tottenham training

The Argentina international was involved in a worrying clash of heads with teammate Joao Palhinha in the dying embers of last week's defeat in the Spanish capital, but the Portuguese was only able to work individually.

However, Romero was one of two defenders in team training alongside Destiny Udogie, who has been missing for over a month with the hamstring problem he sustained in February's defeat to Manchester United.

Finally - and most surprisingly - Lucas Bergvall was also involved with the group as the Swedish midfielder closes in on an apparent early comeback from a serious ankle problem.

Bergvall sustained his injury against Borussia Dortmund on January 20 and was initially expected to be out until mid-April, but the Scandinavian lynchpin is seemingly ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation.

Tudor will give a firm update on Bergvall, Romero and Udogie in his pre-game press conference, but the Croatian will still be dealing with several selection blows for the second leg.

Which Tottenham players will miss Atletico second leg?

Richarlison was intriguingly not involved in team training on Tuesday, but the Brazilian is suspended for Wednesday's game anyway, having picked up a milestone yellow card in last week's first-leg loss.

In addition, journalist Alasdair Gold reported that there was no sign of Conor Gallagher, who missed the Liverpool stalemate with illness and is also a major doubt for this contest.

Palhinha and Yves Bissouma will ostensibly remain unavailable too, while Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski are all long-term absentees.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen youngster Francis Onyeka this summer.

Daniel Farke's side shared the points with Crystal Palace at the weekend despite going down to 10 men during the first half.

The Whites did excellently to prevent the Eagles having a shot on target across the entire match even with their numerical advantage.

Nevertheless, Leeds are nowhere near out of the woods in the Premier League relegation scrap with the business end of the campaign left.

There are a number of high-profile clubs in the mix for relegation to the Championship, including West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.

Leeds 'closely monitoring' German youngster

According to SportsBoom, Leeds have highlighted a star youngster from the Bundesliga as a potential summer arrival.

The report claims that the Premier League outfit are closely monitoring the progress of Bayer Leverkusen man Onyeka.

As well as Farke's side, it is understood that Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are also keen on the 18-year-old.

There is supposedly admirers of the attacking midfielder from elsewhere in Germany, with Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig named as potential suitors.

Within the recruitment circles of Spurs and Villa, there is supposedly a belief that Onyeka could develop into a world-class box-to-box midfielder.

Onyeka's work experience

Graduating from the academy of Leverkusen in 2024, Onyeka has only made two first-team appearances for the Bundesliga giants.

The teenager is spending the 2025-26 campaign on loan at VfL Bochum in Bundesliga 2, learning his trade in men's football.

Onyeka has stepped up to the senior stage so far, scoring eight goals and providing one assist across 23 second-tier contests.

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.