Spurs bow out from Europe with a win against Atletico

Maybe the featured image of this text perfectly illustrates Tottenham Hotspur F.C.—a stand full of fans holding their heads in disbelief!

It was painful a week ago to be a Tottenham supporter while Antonín Kinsky gifted goals in the first leg of the quarterfinal, allowing Atletico Madrid to practically finish the job within 90 minutes. It wasn’t any easier for the North London club’s fans last night either.

For a brief moment, though, there was hope—just a flicker—that something special might happen. But it didn’t. And despair continues to define Tottenham, a team that, even when it plays well, is rarely good enough to achieve something tangible—3:2 (first leg 2:5).

Even when they had the chance to turn things around and trouble Diego Simeone’s side—like FC Barcelona recently did in the Copa del Rey—Tottenham once again showed their all-too-familiar losing mentality. Why didn’t Mathys Tel pass the ball in the 35th minute instead of going for goal himself? Why didn’t he spot his teammates waiting unmarked at the far post for a simple tap-in to make it 2:0? And why did Juan Musso, in the absence of Jan Oblak, suddenly turn into a world-class goalkeeper, making eight saves to deny a comeback? These are the questions haunting Tottenham fans tonight, before they shift focus back to their relegation battle this weekend. At least Xavi Simons slightly lifted spirits with a penalty in the 90th minute ahead of a crucial clash with Nottingham Forest F.C., a direct rival in the fight for survival. Tottenham also exposed many defensive weaknesses in Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish side will now face FC Barcelona in the quarterfinals—the same opponent they eliminated earlier in the Copa del Rey. But how will they cope again with one of the weakest defenses in this season’s Champions League? When Randal Kolo Muani, assisted by Mathys Tel, scored in the 30th minute, it marked Atletico’s 12th consecutive European match this season in which they conceded. It was also the fifth goal they allowed from a header—more than any other team in the competition. Add to that the two goals from Xavi Simons, and Atletico have now conceded 24 goals in 12 European matches. It could have been even worse if not for Musso’s outstanding performance.

In the end, Mathys Tel may be seen as a tragic figure—had he made the right decision in the 35th minute, the Tottenham stadium could have turned into a boiling cauldron. Instead, they allowed a counterattack early in the second half—there were protests for a foul on Simons beforehand—after which Julian Alvarez restored a comfortable three-goal aggregate lead. With three goals and two assists across both legs, the Argentine was clearly the key man who carried Atletico Madrid into the quarterfinals.

In another moment, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. dared to hope for a miracle… around the hour mark. A beautiful move and a one-two with Xavi Simons ended with Pedro Porro producing a classy finish. He unleashed a trivela, but Juan Musso managed to tame it. A corner followed, then a close-range header from Radu Dragușin, and once again Musso was perfectly positioned to catch the ball firmly. It was another huge chance for Spurs to cut the deficit to just one goal. In the 75th minute, David Hancko effectively ended Tottenham’s UEFA Champions League campaign. He was picked out by Julian Álvarez from a corner, and shortly afterward the Argentine could have added another goal or assist. Tottenham did score a third in the 90th minute and even flirted with a fourth in stoppage time, but even if Randal Kolo Muani hadn’t been blocked and that fourth goal had gone in, there simply wouldn’t have been enough time for a miracle.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - ROUND OF 16

Return leg

Tuesday

Sporting - Bodo 5-0 (1-0) AET

/Ignacio 34, Goncalves 61, Suarez 78(p), Araujo 92, Nel 120+1/

Arsenal - Leverkusen 2-0 (1-0)

/Eze 36, Rice 63/

Chelsea - PSG 0-3 (0-2)

/Kvaratskhelia 6, Barcola 14, Mayulu 62/

Manchester City - Real Madrid 1-2 (1-1)

/Haaland 41 - Vinicius 22(p), 90+3/

Wednesday

Barcelona - Newcastle 7-2 (3-2)

/Raphinha 6, 72, Bernal 18, Yamal 45+7 pen, Fermin 51, Lewandowski 56, 61 - Elanga 15,28/

Barcelona win 8-3 on aggregate

Bayern - Atalanta 4-1 (1-0)

/Kane 25 pen, 54, Karl 56, Diaz 70 - Samardzic 86 pen/

Bayern win 10-2 on aggregate

Liverpool - Galatasaray 4-0 (1-0)

/Szoboszlai 25, Ekitike 52, Gravenberch 53, Salah 62/

Liverpool win 4-1 on aggregate

Tottenham - Atletico Madrid 3-2 (1-0)

/Kolo Muani 30, Simons 52, 90 pen - Alvarez 47, Hancko 75/

Atletico win 7-5 on aggregate