Atletico Madrid secured a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals after a thrilling 3-2 defeat to Tottenham in the last-16 second leg on Wednesday, winning 7-5 on aggregate.
Diego Simeone’s side found themselves trailing on three separate occasions in north London but managed to hold on for a quarter-final berth against Barcelona.
The match saw a series of dramatic turns, with Randal Kolo Muani giving Tottenham the lead in the first half, only for Julian Alvarez to level the score immediately after the break.
Xavi Simons then netted to give Tottenham a glimmer of hope, but David Hancko’s equaliser crushed their chances of an epic comeback.
Simons’ stoppage-time penalty came too late for Tottenham to complete their mission impossible, and Atletico will now face Barcelona in the last eight.
Key Takeaways:
- Atletico Madrid advances to the quarter-finals despite a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham.
- Tottenham’s European exit leaves them focused on avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
- Atletico will face Barcelona in the quarter-finals after their Spanish rivals defeated Newcastle 7-2.
Languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, Tottenham’s defeat has intensified their battle to avoid the humiliation of relegation, with the team just one point above the relegation zone.
However, their determined display against Atletico suggests that interim boss Igor Tudor has maintained the team’s motivation despite their turbulent run.
Tottenham will now host fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest on Sunday in a crucial clash for their survival in the Premier League.