Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Both teams to score

• Over 2.5 goals

• Atletico to win

Tottenham in the Premier League and Tottenham in the Champions League look so much like two different clubs it’s almost ridiculous.

The Europa League holders have saved their best performances for the continental stage, where they achieved an impressive fourth-placed league-phase finish, winning five and losing only once to reigning champions PSG.

However, they come into this in their worst form of the season, without a league win in 2026. Spurs' interim boss Igor Tudor has so far lost all three of his games in charge and faces a massive task getting this woeful Tottenham side past seasoned European spoilers, Atletico Madrid. 

Finishing three points and 10 places worse off than Tottenham in the league-phase table, former runners-up Atletico Madrid survived a Club Brugge-sized scare, triumphing 7-4 in a chaotic playoff tie.

Hitherto heralded for their staunch defensive nature, Atletico ended the league phase with the worst rearguard record of all top-16 clubs. They conceded 15 goals and have shown little to suggest that their backline issues will be fixed anytime soon.

Diego Simeone's side sit behind the top two in La Liga, but did recently dump Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey.

The last time these two teams clashed, Atletico Madrid emerged victorious, winning 1-0. The two clubs are reuniting almost 63 years on from their maiden meeting in the 1963 Cup Winners' Cup final, where Jimmy Greaves netted twice in a 5-1 win for Tottenham.

However, a repeat of that resounding triumph on Tuesday is surely just a pipe dream. 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. 

Atletico Madrid Champions League form: 🟩🟩 🟧 🟥 🟧 🟩

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions): 🟧 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟥 🟩

Tottenham Hotspur Champions League form: 🟧 🟩 🟥 🟩 🟩 🟩

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions): 🟧 🟥 🟥 🟥 🟥 🟥

Tottenham's Crystal Palace collapse was triggered by Micky van de Ven's sending-off for a last-man foul. However, the Dutchman will serve his impending suspension in league action and is fine to feature on Tuesday night, as is Cristian Romero following his domestic ban.

Tottenham have just had the luxury of a weekend off thanks to their premature FA Cup exit. Tudor is hopeful of having Djed Spence back in action following a calf injury, while Destiny Udogie (thigh) is not too far away from a return either.

However, Wilson Odobert (ACL), James Maddison (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Ben Davies (ankle), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh) and Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh) are still out, while Radu Dragusin missed Thursday's loss due to a knock and will need a once-over too.

As for Atletico Madrid, January signing Rodrigo Mendoza came off at half time against Real Sociedad due to an ankle problem, one that has made the 20-year-old a serious doubt for the first leg.

Mendoza is just one of two fitness concerns for Simeone at present, though, and the other - hamstring victim Pablo Barrios - could even make himself available for the visit of Tudor's side.

Confirmed to be staying in Spain despite rumours of an MLS move, Antoine Griezmann made a crucial impact off the bench against Real Sociedad, as did two-goal hero Nico Gonzalez. Both have put themselves in the frame for starts here.

Ademola Lookman has been a massive hit at Atletico since he arrived from Atalanta in the winter window. The Nigerian winger has added his directness and dribbling prowess to the Spanish side's attack and made them an even more dangerous outfit.

He has European pedigree, too, having memorably scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League Final.

Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Lookman; Sorloth, Alvarez

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Danso, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Palhinha, Sarr, Gray; Simons; Tel, Solanke

With Romero and Van de Ven back together, Tottenham should not be such a horror show at the back; however, the Lilywhites are still lacking in attacking ideas and a clear identity under Tudor.

The visitors' domestic troubles meant nothing against Dortmund or Frankfurt, but an Atletico team with a taste for goals at home should get a leg up ahead of their clash in London.

Correct score prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-2 Tottenham