Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Round of 16
by Alex Lawes ·
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Atletico Madrid can often frustrate but Los Rojiblancos surely cannot pass up what almost appears to be a bye into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – DAZN & Paramount+
Atletico Madrid preview: Impressive at their best
Atletico Madrid have put in some of the best performances of any team in Europe this season, but they have matched that with some of the worst with a recent 4-0 hammering of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals before losing the second-leg by three goals to nil being an excellent example of that.
Diego Simeone's side head into this one on the back of an entertaining 3-2 defeat of Real Sociedad in La Liga at the weekend, showcasing their Jekyll and Hyde nature within a 90 minute match at the Metropolitano.
Tottenham preview: Relegation battling Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur can only dream of being inconsistent with the north Londoners having been regularly below par throughout the year to now mean that they are very much in the relegation battle in the Premier League this season.
Their only victories in 2026 have come in this competition as they finished the league phase in January with 2-0 victories against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, still then under Thomas Frank's management.
Atletico Madrid team news: Finding the attacking balance
Atleti have to find a balance in the final third with Julian Alvarez out of form, Antoine Griezmann rumoured to be departing, Alexander Sorloth in fine form and big money winter window addition Ademola Lookman also meriting a spot in the eleven – that has to be balanced with Giuliano Simeone also likely to start, too.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Johnny, Lookman; Sorloth, Alvarez
Unavailable: Barrios (Injured), Mendoza (Injured)
Questionable:
Tottenham team news: Injury crisis
Tottenham have an injury crisis at the moment, albeit the visitors will be hoping to welcome versatile full-back Djed Spence back to full fitnesss
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Vicario; Danso, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Gallagher, Gray, Bissouma, Souza; Solanke, Richarlison
Unavailable: Davies (Injured), Udogie (Injured), Bentancur (Injured), Bergvall (Injured), Maddison (Injured), Kulusevski (Injured), Kudus (Injured), Odobert (Injured),
Questionable: Dragusin (Injured), Spence (Injured)
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham prediction
Now with Igor Tudor at the helm, the already lacklustre Spurs, lacking any sort of identity, appear even worse at the moment. Atletico can be too entertaining for their own good sometimes but even they should be able to be confident they will comfortably see Tottenham off in the stadium where Spurs perhaps reached their peak with the 2019 UEFA Champions League final loss to Liverpool.
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Tip: Atletico Madrid to win
