In the Champions League Round of 16, the return leg between Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico will take place on March 18, 2026. It is hard to find arguments in favor of the struggling hosts, who need a big win.
The English club salvaged last season with a victory in the Europa League. In the summer, Thomas Frank was appointed as head coach. But even during the promising start, there were setbacks—in the UEFA Super Cup, leading 2-0, they ultimately lost to PSG on penalties.
In the end, the Dane was dismissed after exits from both domestic cups and a drop into the lower half of the Premier League table. Under Tudor, things started with a 1-4 derby defeat to Arsenal. The Spaniards, having reclaimed their usual third place in La Liga last season, now have to defend it against the unexpectedly persistent challenge from Villarreal. However, they have already reached the final in the cup—eliminating Barcelona in the semifinals with scores of 4-0 and 0-3.
The London side also suffered from PSG in the Champions League—losing away 3-5. But in the other matches, they claimed five wins (including all three in winter) and two draws. As a result, they only started the playoffs under Tudor in March.
Diego Simeone’s men did not look as convincing in the main round. They lost three times—to the English clubs Liverpool and Manchester City, and at home in the final round to Bodo/Glimt. This meant they had to play in the Round of 32, where, after missing a win in Belgium, they thrashed Brugge at home. Against the British side at home, it was even more eventful: they finished with a 5-2 scoreline. The hapless Kinski was substituted as early as the seventeenth minute.
Previous Matches: Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico
The clubs are meeting for the first time at the official level—previously, there was only a match at the unofficial International Champions Cup a decade ago, where the Madrid side won 1-0.
They can just play football without worrying about the result. The bet is on “both teams to score” (odds – 1.60).
Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico: Key Statistics and Trends
Tottenham Hotspur won three consecutive Champions League matches before traveling to Madrid
The team scores an average of 2.11 goals and concedes 1.33 per game
Atletico have won two of their last five matches
The club scores an average of 2.64 goals and concedes 1.91
Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico: Probable Starting Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur are expected to play in a 1-3-4-3 formation (probable lineup): Vicario – van de Ven, Romero, Danso – Spence, Sarr, Gray, Porro – Tel, Richarlison, Kolo Muani. The injury list is long, including Maddison, Davies, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Odobert, Kudus, Bergvall, and Udogie.
Atletico are likely to use a 1-4-4-2 formation (probable lineup): Oblak – Ruggeri, Gantzko, Le Normand, Pubill – Lookman, Cardoso, Llorente, Simeone – Alvarez, Griezmann. The only doubt is Sorloth.
