Tottenham Hotspur looked like a team finally coming together, to fight together, as they bowed out of the UEFA Champions League despite beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 on the night (but losing 5-7 on aggregate) in north London on Wednesday.
MORE — Champions League bracket, schedule
Spurs were hammered 5-2 in the first leg last week, but they showed a steely resilience to claw their way back to draw Liverpool in the Premier League on the weekend and once again played as if they understood what it was they were meant to be doing against Atleti — a marked improvement on Igor Tudor’s first four games in charge (four defeats by a combined margin of 14-5).
The victory also snaps Spurs’ eight-game winless run in all competitions, though they remain without a win in their last 12 Premier League games heading into the weekend.
Randal Kolo Muani put Spurs ahead in the 30th minute when he headed home Mathys Tel’s cross, but they never got closer than two goals behind because Julian Alvarez made it 1-1 just two minutes into the second half. Even when Xavi Simons stuck one in the bottom corner in the 52nd, the next goal went to Atleti in the 75th as defender David Hancko headed home a corner kick. Simons bagged the winner in stoppage time, though, from the penalty spot after he weaved his way into the box and was clattered into by Jose Gimenez.
The main headline here is that Spurs have won a game of football, and that could do wonders for the players’ psyches as they prepare to host Nottingham Forest in a 16th-versus-17th clash on Sunday (10:15 am ET). Spurs currently sit just a point above the relegation zone with eight games left to play in the PL.
Spurs vs Atletico Madrid live updates - by Andy Edwards
Spurs vs Atletico Madrid final score: 3-2 (5-7 agg.)
Goalscorers: Randal Kolo Muani (30'), Julian Alvarez (47'), Xavi Simons (52', 90'+1 - PK), David Hancko (75')
First-leg goalscorers: Marcos Llorente (6'), Antoine Griezmann (14'), Julian Alvarez (16', 55'), Robin Le Normand (22'), Pedro Porro (26'), Dominic Solanke (76')
GOAL! Spurs 3-2 (5-7 agg.) Atleti: Simons scores again from the penalty spot (90'+1)
Xavi Simons scores his second of the night by slotting home a penalty 🎯 pic.twitter.com/LTYNd1odat
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 18, 2026
GOAL! Spurs 2-2 (4-7 agg.) Atleti: Hancko heads home at the near post (75')
A well-worked set piece from Atlético Madrid is finished with a clinical header by Dávid Hancko 💪 pic.twitter.com/yromHlJ6WK
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 18, 2026
GOAL! Spurs 2-1 (4-6 agg.) Atleti: Simons smashes one in from 25 yards (52')
Pure accuracy and precision from Xavi Simons 🤯🎯 pic.twitter.com/7RQc04vCWD
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 18, 2026
GOAL! Spurs 1-1 (3-6 agg.) Atleti: Alvarez bags his third of the tie (47')
Julián Álvarez with the twist, turn and brilliant finish to extend Atlético Madrid’s aggregate lead to 6–3 💫
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 18, 2026
The Argentine striker now has 14 #UCL goals in his last 17 matches 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/6zwmQZx9bL
GOAL! Spurs 1-0 (3-5 agg.) Atleti: Kolo Muani makes it interesting with a textbook header (30')
Mathys Tel sends in an excellent cross which is headed home by Randal Kolo Muani ⚽️
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 18, 2026
Tottenham are showing signs of life as they make it 3–5 on aggregate against Atlético Madrid 👀 pic.twitter.com/8B5LN9hi2G
Spurs starting XI
Vicario - Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence - Gray, Sarr, Simons, Tel - Kolo Muani
Atletico Madrid starting XI
Musso - Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri - Llorente, Cardoso, Simeone, Lookman - Alvarez, Griezmann
How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico Madrid live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 4 pm ET Wednesday (March 18)
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — London
TV Channel/Streaming: Paramount+
Spurs were 4-0 after just 22 minutes in Madrid last week, all but forced into substituting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after 17 minutes and two terrible mistakes (of his own, with another attributed to defender Micky van de Ven), before Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke scored goals to give Igor Tudor’s side a faint hope in the second leg. The comeback against Liverpool came with just 12 senior outfield players available after Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha were both concussed from a head-to-head collision in the final minutes against Atleti. Romero was involved (to some extent) in training on Monday, while Palhinha worked off to the side with the training staff.
Spurs team news, focus
OUT: Cristian Romero (head), Joao Palhinha (head), Yves Bissouma (muscular), Wilson Odobert (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Mohammed Kudus (groin), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (torn ACL - MORE), Ben Davies (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Conor Gallagher (illness), Destiny Udogie (thigh)
Atletico Madrid team news, focus
OUT: Jan Oblak (undisclosed), Pablo Barrios (thigh), Rodrigo Mendoza (ankle)
Spurs vs Atleti prediction
They aren’t likely to overturn a three-goal deficit when they haven’t scored three goals in a game (in any competition) since Dec. 9 (against Slavia Prague in the UCL league phase), but Spurs can absolutely build on Sunday’s scrappy performance and lift morale at the club before a number of key players return from injury in the coming weeks. Spurs 2-1 (4-6 agg.) Atleti.
