Tottenham Hotspur resume their UEFA Champions League journey on Tuesday as they travel to Spain to take on Atletico Madrid in the first leg of this mouth-watering round of 16 tie.
Despite their dreadful Premier League campaign, Spurs have fared remarkably well in Europe, securing a coveted top-eight finish in the newly formatted league phase with just one loss in eight games (W5, D2).
However, Tottenham’s decent continental exploits couldn’t save Thomas Frank from suffering the same fate as his successor, Ange Postecoglou, who was axed despite winning the UEFA Europa League last season.
That triumph helped the North London side qualify for the Champions League this term, and achieving another standout result on the grandest stage might be the only way for Igor Tudor’s players to salvage some pride.
Staving off relegation fears in the Premier League remains the top priority, with Tottenham sitting just one point clear of the bottom three, largely thanks to an embarrassing 11-game winless league run.
Considering that’s the longest winless streak in the club’s top-flight history and the fact Spurs could suffer the drop for the first time since the late 1970s, the upcoming clash in Madrid could come as a welcome distraction.
European dream vs domestic nightmare
Tottenham’s disjointed form in the Premier League is well-documented, but three consecutive victories towards the end of the Champions League group/league phase suggest Spurs are not heading to the Metropolitano Stadium for a casual visit.
As the Daily Mirror explained, Spurs would still be eligible to compete at the highest level of European football next season if they win the trophy this term and suffer relegation in the Premier League.
While that scenario does appear to be fat-fetched, Tottenham’s hopes of overcoming Atletico are certainly not.
Last season’s Europa League winners have reigned supreme on the continental front lately, claiming ten victories in their last 15 UEFA fixtures (D4, L1).
It is also worth noting that they have progressed from eight of their last 11 two-legged European ties, highlighting just how confident they are in continental battles.
Chance to issue a statement
There are whispers that Tudor is in London on borrowed time after kicking off his tenure with three successive defeats, as the 47-year-old bids to kickstart his redemption mission in Madrid.
Nothing restores confidence like a strong performance on the biggest stage, and Spurs have performed outstandingly in the Champions League this season, barring a thumping loss at reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in November.
Since that calamitous 5-3 defeat at the Parc des Princes, they have won three European matches on the trot, netting seven unanswered goals in the process, with two of those three wins coming against sides from Europe’s top-five leagues.
Speaking to Tottenhamhotspur.com after Thursday’s 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace, Dominic Solanke urged his teammates to respond on the pitch, and this could be their chance to shine.
Delivering action from the get-go, Tudor’s men have opened the scoring in their last five Champions League outings. Scoring first would be huge for Tottenham, given that they’ve kept a clean sheet in five of the last six.
Formidable opposition
It has been over 60 years since Atletico and Tottenham last faced each other in a UEFA-sanctioned fixture, but Los Colchoneros beat Spurs in their only meeting this century.
Diego Godin’s goal inspired the Spaniards to a 1-0 victory in the 2016 International Champions Cup, and Diego Simeone will expect nothing less on Tuesday.
Atletico have been ruthless against Premier League clubs at home, losing just two of their 17 previous European clashes against English visitors in Madrid (W8, D7).
Furthermore, they’ve emerged victorious from ten of their 14 European ties against English clubs.
On that basis, anything short of perfection would likely result in Tottenham’s elimination.