The atmosphere during Wednesday’s 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid was a fleeting reminder of what the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was built for, but as the dust settles on their Champions League exit, a harsh reality remains.
Spurs are the only Premier League side without a league win in 2026, and today’s clash with Nottingham Forest is a battle for top-flight survival.
Sitting in 16th place, just one point ahead of 17th-placed Forest and the drop zone, Igor Tudor’s side must carry their midweek continental momentum into domestic action.
Tottenham have managed a meagre 10 points from 15 home league games this season—the worst record in the division.
They have also gone 12 Premier League matches without a win, a drought that threatens to mirror the historic slumps of relegated sides such as Sheffield United in 2020/21 and Sunderland in 2002/03.
While the win over Atletico provided a blueprint for escape, Spurs’ task is compounded by a looming goalkeeping crisis.
Guglielmo Vicario is expected to play through the pain barrier today before undergoing hernia surgery next week, with backup Antonin Kinsky still reeling from a disastrous 17-minute cameo at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
However, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are set to return to stabilise a backline that has conceded 47 goals.
A win today would not only snap a 12-game winless run but also create a four-point buffer above the bottom three.
Failure, however, could see Tottenham slip into the relegation zone heading into the final international break of the season.