First European matchup since 1963. Spurs manager Igor Tudor has lost all three of the games he has overseen in the Premier League since taking over for Thomas Frank, and fans have already started to turn on the Croatian. Spurs have never won an away game against a La Liga club (D3 L3). Tottenham has several players out injured as well. Atleti's 24 goals in this season's UCL are third-most. It has only lost two of its past 17 matches against English visitors (W8 D7). The Spanish side has kept 13 clean sheets in its past 18 knockout games overall at home.
Tottenham Hotspur are in danger of being relegated from the Premier League following an 11-game winless streak. They’re fighting for survival, so the last thing they need is a two-legged Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid. Key players are injured, the players lack belief, and new manager Igor Tudor has been unable to galvanize the squad, so the club is in a real mess right now. Atlético Madrid should be able to capitalize. Los Rojiblancos have won their last three league games, and they have enough quality to exploit Spurs’ defensive frailties. They have home advantage for this game, they’re more motivated than Spurs, and their superior quality should shine through.
It might seem a bit weird to many that Spurs, the team that is facing potential relegation, sitting 16th on the table, are in the Champions League round of 16. They are in fact still in this competition, but I'm expecting a pretty swift exit for the Premier League side. Spurs do care about UCL, but as weird as this will also sound, their priority should be staying in the Premier League. This could be one of the only times in UCL history we see a team rest players in UCL, to prep for an EPL match. Long story short, I expect Atleti to absolutely demolish Spurs.
