PREVIEW: Spurs hope to recapture best form against Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid will host Tottenham Hotspur this evening at the spectacular Riyadh Air Metropolitano as Spurs hope to win their first game since January.

This will be just the second competitive meeting between the two sides in history, with the first seeing Spurs run out 5-1 winners in the European Cup Winners Cup, over 60 years ago. Of course, the land lies very differently nowadays.

Tottenham’s domestic struggles have been well documented this season, but they have been virtually unflappable in the Champions League having come through the league phase in emphatic fashion, picking up 17 points from eight games meaning they received a bye into the last 16 stage of the competition due to their fourth place finish.

Meanwhile, Atletico finished 14th in the league phase table and had to fend off Club Brugge 7-4 over two legs in the play-off round to set up this clash with Tottenham. Domestically, Rojiblancos find themselves 3rd in La Liga behind Real Madrid and league leaders Barcelona, who they defeated in the Copa Del Rey semi-final to confirm a meeting with Real Sociedad in the final in five weeks time.

Spurs are winless in their last six outings, with new manager Igor Tudor losing his first three games in charge of the club to Arsenal, Fulham and most recently Crystal Palace, however, they have lost just two of their last fifteen matches in Europe. Interestingly, Atleti have only one a singular game in their last ten meetings with English sides in the Champions League, perhaps setting this up perfectly for a Spurs win…which would probably be classed as an upset due to both side’s form as of late.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone has admitted that this will be no easy game for his side stating “I believe that no team, when they step onto the field, remembers what position they are in the table or what moment they are in. The players want to play, they want to do well, they want to win, and I don’t know any footballer who is thinking about a free kick or play regarding what position in the table they are in. They want to win the match ahead of them, which is the same for both teams.”

Meanwhile, Tudor spoke on Cristian Romero’s availability “He has missed it a lot. He was also not feeling good to not be in, with the circumstances to help the team. So now he’s back, we was working these two, three weeks a lot. Even with the fitness coach he did a separate running session to be in better shape now that he’s back. We are happy. I’m sure that tomorrow he’ll be a leader like he’s always been and that we’ll make together a good game.” The Argentinian defender has not made an appearance for the Whites since he was sent off at Old Trafford back at the start of February.

The game is due to take place on Tuesday March 10th, kick-off is scheduled for 8pm (UK time.)