Atlético Madrid return to UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday night as they host Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the two sides’ last 16 clash.
The Estadio Metropolitano will be the scene of Atleti’s ninth consecutive midweek match, following a densely-packed start to the calendar year that has seen the UCL feature heavily alongside the Copa del Rey.
After bettering Club Brugge in last month’s play-off round, Los Rojiblancos had a 50/50 chance of facing
either Spurs or Liverpool in the round of 16 after both clubs secured automatic qualification through a top-eight finish in the league phase. Much to the relief of the majority, it was the London-based team that was drawn out.
The Lilywhites are in completely polarised form across the Premier League and Champions League this season, hurtling toward domestic relegation but only losing once in Europe. Their only two wins in all competitions in 2026 came in the final two UCL league phase matches that secured them passage to this stage of the competition, whereas in the Prem they’ve lost five on the spin and sit just one point above the drop zone.
With the threat of relegation becoming an all-too-real prospect, Igor Tudor’s men may have more attention on the weekend’s trip to Anfield in a bid to secure top-flight status rather than have a go in Europe, but at this stage, who knows where anyone’s head is at in the midst of this shambles? It would be very on brand for both clubs should Spurs pull off a result against Atleti and continue to falter in England.
Tuesday night will mark Conor Gallagher’s return to the Metropolitano following his January departure to North London from Madrid. El Pitbull (as he was named by the Atleti fans) was ineligible to feature in the final two UCL league phase matches for Spurs, but has now been included in his new team’s squad for the knockout phase. This timing means that Gallagher has yet to experience a win as a Spurs player and could soon find himself playing in the Championship, while his former club sit poised to play in a cup final next month.
This matchup also gives a potential future Atleti player the chance to visit what could be his new home. Cristian “Cuti” Romero has been sought after by Diego Simeone for some time, and with his price tag looking to significantly drop in the summer, it could be the moment to reopen those talks to get him to the Metropolitano for next season.
This meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Atlético Madrid will be just the second-ever official contest between the two clubs. You have to go way back to May 1963 for the only other time they’ve come across each other outside of a friendly, in the era of Jimmy Greaves and Enrique Collar. That was in the final of the old Cup Winners’ Cup, which Spurs resoundingly won 5-1 in Rotterdam to become the first English club to win a UEFA trophy. You’ll never sing that.
Team news
After a long period out, it seems Pablo Barrios will be available for selection on Tuesday night after training for two consecutive days “with normality” according to Pedro Fullana. Whether or not Barrios starts, his return will provide an important boost to the team; not just because of his quality, but because of the injury suffered to Rodrigo Mendoza at the weekend. The youngster has suffered a sprain to the ankle that will keep him out of action for several weeks.
Jan Oblak will play behind a defense comprising of Mr Reliable Marcos Llorente, the two human rocks in the shapes of Marc Pubill and Dávid Hancko, and everyone’s favourite Madrid nightclub-goer Matteo Ruggeri. However, Simeone invited Robin Le Normand to join him in Monday’s press conference, meaning the Spain international could be in line for a surprise start in defense.
In midfield, barring any shocks, Giuliano Simeone and Ademola Lookman will take the flanks with the aim of stunning the Spurs full-backs with their blistering pace. We can expect Johnny Cardoso to join Koke in the middle if Barrios isn’t quite ready to begin proceedings, which should add an air of security to the side, despite the questions surrounding the pair’s ability to lineup alongside each other.
Up top, there is no-one more deserving to be on the team sheet right now than Alexander Sørloth, who has bagged 11 goals in 2026 — just Harry Kane has more in Europe’s top five leagues in all competitions. The big man will be looking to cross Spurs’ name off his hitman list as he continues his cold-blooded form of late. Joining him in attack will likely be Julián Alvarez, although expect an Antoine Griezmann appearance off the bench almost immediately after the restart if things aren’t quite flowing as El Cholo intends them.
Predicted lineup
Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Giuliano, Koke, Cardoso, Lookman; Alvarez, Sørloth.
