Tottenham Hotspur ousted from Champions League despite Atletico Madrid scalp
What's the story
Tottenham Hotspur have been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League after a 7-5 defeat to Atletico Madrid on aggregate. Tottenham won the second leg 3-2 at home, but it wasn't enough to overturn the damage done in the first leg where they lost 5-2. Atletico now advance to face Barcelona in the quarter-finals of this prestigious tournament. Earlier, Barca beat Newcastle United 7-2 at Camp Nou. They earned an 8-3 aggregate score.
Match highlights
Early goals set the tone for an exciting 1st half
The match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium started on a high note for the home side as Randal Kolo Muani scored early on. This goal came after a dismal performance in the first leg and gave Spurs fans a glimmer of hope for a potential comeback. However, Atletico's Julian Alvarez equalized soon after, dampening the atmosphere at the stadium.
Player performances
Simons's brace seals the deal for Spurs
Just five minutes after Alvarez's equalizer, Xavi Simons put Spurs back in the lead with a well-placed shot. He later doubled his tally with a late penalty, marking Igor Tudor's first win as head coach of the club. In betaeen, David Hancko scored for Atletico with a glancing header that sealed Tottenham's fate in the second leg.
Coach's perspective
Tudor praises Spurs's performance despite aggregate loss
Despite the aggregate loss, Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor was optimistic about his team's performance. "The sensations are mixed because you don't like not to pass through to the next [round] but it was a very good performance after quite a long period. So it is a good sensation after the game and congratulations to the players," he told TNT Sports. "We need to continue like this. I believe the supporters were proud of the team even if we are out. We hope this continues on Sunday because we need them for an important game."
Run
First win for Tottenham after going winless in 8 matches
Before this 3-2 win against Atletico, Tottenham were winless in their last 8 matches across all competitions. They are now unbeaten in two successive matches (W1 D1). They drew 1-1 against Liverpool in the Premier League. Before that, they lost six successive matches. Notably, Tottenham's last win had come against Eintracht Frankfurt back on January 29, 2026, in the Champions League.
Information
Here are the match stats
The home team had 11 shots on target from 18 attempts. Atletico managed six shots on target from 18 attempts. Both teams had 30 touches each in the oppositon box. The hosts managed 51.10% ball possession.
Do you know?
Alvarez is involved in 12 Champions League goals this season
Atletico striker Alvarez is involved in 12 Champions League goals this season. He now has 8 goals in addition to making 4 assists. Notably, he made his 100th appearance for Atletico across all competitions in what is his 2nd season. He owns 46 goals, including 17 this season.