Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico Madrid Champions League preview, team news and prediction

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Tottenham Hotspur will aim for a remarkable comeback when they host Atletico Madrid at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Spurs face a daunting challenge after suffering a heavy 5-2 defeat in Madrid last week, leaving them with a mountain to climb to reach the quarter-finals.

However, Tottenham ended a six-game losing streak in all competitions with a dramatic late equalizer from Richarlison to earn a point against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. Interim head coach Igor Tudor, who faced heavy criticism after the first-leg defeat, oversaw a much-improved performance from his side.

Despite being embroiled in a Premier League relegation battle, Tottenham now turn their focus to the Champions League, hoping to pull off a sensational turnaround. While the odds are stacked against them, football is known for its surprises, and Tudor will be looking to inspire his team to an improbable quarter-final spot.

Historically, Spurs have struggled against Spanish teams, winning just three of their last 16 UEFA matches against La Liga opposition. Atletico, meanwhile, have won 10 of their 14 two-legged ties against English clubs and seven of their last 11 Champions League last-16 encounters. They have also scored first in seven of their last eight matches in the competition.

If Atletico score first on Wednesday, they will hold a commanding four-goal aggregate lead, making a Tottenham comeback highly unlikely—especially with several key players still sidelined due to injury and suspension.

While Atletico are not without their flaws and are undergoing a period of transition under Diego Simeone, they come into this match on the back of a 1-0 win over Getafe and have had more time to prepare for the second leg, though travel fatigue may play a role.

Realistically, it would be a major shock if Atletico failed to progress from this position. Should they advance, they will face either Newcastle United or Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

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Tottenham will once again be missing several key players for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, though Micky van de Ven returns after serving a suspension against Liverpool.

Spurs remain without 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).

Conor Gallagher (illness), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Cristian Romero (head), and Joao Palhinha (head) will all face late fitness tests.

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

For Atletico, first-choice goalkeeper Jan Oblak is sidelined with a muscle injury, meaning Juan Musso will start in goal. Rodrigo Mendoza remains unavailable, while Pablo Barrios will be assessed ahead of the match. Otherwise, Diego Simeone has a full squad to choose from.

Musso replacing Oblak is expected to be the only change from the team that started the first leg. Antoine Griezmann should partner Julian Alvarez up front, with Johnny Cardoso likely to start in central midfield.

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