Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid LIVE: Hosts fight to narrow win and produce first signs of a turnaround under Tudor | OneFootball

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Igor Tudor explains Spurs' goalie decision and admits 'career first' after first-leg loss

Tottenham exited the Champions League but secured their first win under Igor Tudor with a spirited performance in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid.

The visitors had an early goal ruled out but it was Spurs who were the superior side in the first half, and they were repaid for their early efforts when Randal Kolo Muani headed in from Mathys Tel’s cross.

Spurs were in the ascendancy after gaining the lead on the night, with Tel going close moments later as they headed into the break with renewed hope. However, it didn’t take long for Atleti to hit back, Julian Alvarez producing a brilliant finish to restore his side’s three-goal advantage.

It briefly looked like that goal might settle the tie but Xavi Simons gave Spurs renewed belief just minutes later, the Dutchman curling in a superb strike to give his side hope.

However, the hosts couldn’t capitalise when on top, with Atletico doing everything to break up play and prevent the hosts getting into a rhythm, and they soon landed the deciding blow as David Hancko glanced in from a corner to settle the tie.

It leaves Spurs rueing the remarkable 5-2 loss in the first leg last week, though attention has to quickly turn to the weekend, when they face Nottingham Forest in a potential relegation six-pointer.

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How Igor Tudor’s reign of error turned huge corner as Tottenham remembered how to win

Four days after emerging from pointlessness, Igor Tudor is now no longer winless. His interim reign of error at Tottenham is finally finding its purpose, eight days on from the Croatian appearing a complete and utter lost cause.

Spurs are out of the Champions League but akin to fellow relegation candidates Nottingham Forest, there is the fair argument that Europe could be a very unwanted distraction from survival. With Spurs fans in full voice, still in their seats at the full-time whistle, victory on the night feels far more important than defeat in tie.

Even without the milestone win, there was a sense of hope and pride that was attached to the atmosphere during the contest’s closing stages. “Oh When The Spurs” belting out from stand to stand, you wouldn’t have thought this was a team three goals down and on the verge of being dumped out of Europe. Purely from a performance perspective, a corner had been turned.

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Will Castle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium18 March 2026 23:06

Champions League quarter-finals confirmed as Liverpool face PSG in huge clash

Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster last-eight tie after the Champions League quarter-finals were confirmed following the conclusion of an eventful round of 16.

Arsenal ensured the unprecedented six English sides competing in this stage would not suffer a humiliating wipeout as they breezed past Bayer Leverkusen in their must-win second leg at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Stunning strikes from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice proved the difference with Arsenal running out 3-1 winners on aggregate, setting up a tie with Sporting CP who recovered a three-goal first-leg deficit to win 5-0 on the night against Bodo/Glimt, ending the Norwegian side’s fairytale run.

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Chris Wilson19 March 2026 07:00

Igor Tudor explains why Tottenham take ‘confidence’ into relegation showdown with Nottingham Forest

Interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor insists his players now have “a lot of confidence” ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest after the spirited Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

Spurs fought to a 3-2 win in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday night thanks to a brace from Xavi Simons and an early header from Randal Kolo Muani, and while the result was only enough for a 7-5 aggregate loss, it did seal their first win under their interim boss.

Tudor’s side will not qualify for European competition but this is the sort of result that can spur them on for the rest of the season, with the Lilywhites having secured their first Premier League points under the Croatian with last week’s draw to Liverpool.

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 06:00

Is the Premier League at risk of losing fifth Champions League place after damaging last-16 results?

The Premier League could boast seven clubs in next season’s Champions League if all the right pieces fall into place – but there is now a real danger of having only four spots after a string of poor results.

Last term saw an unprecedented six English clubs qualify for Europe’s premier competition; five by their league position, while Tottenham earned their place in the league phase after winning the Europa League.

Yet that inflated contingent could grow even more this year, with the Premier League appearing as one of the more prominent beneficiaries to the competition’s expansion to 36 teams that came into effect at the beginning of 2024/25.

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The Liverpool frenzy that may have altered their Champions League fate – as revenge mission against PSG awaits

There may not be too many ways in which this season is better than last for Liverpool but Arne Slot can at least point to a significant one. Liverpool have gone further in the Champions League, and this was progress in more ways than one.

A quarter-final was booked in emphatic and entertaining fashion. The boos that greeted the final whistle against Tottenham on Sunday were replaced by cheers, the lethargy with which Liverpool have played too often giving way to an energy and intensity. This was frenzied and fast, players and crowd feeding off each other. For Slot, it was a response when the scrutiny upon him had heightened. The Dutchman switched tactics, to something of a 4-4-2, and the team changed tack. This was much better. This was one of his finest Anfield nights of the campaign.

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