Atletico v Tottenham live: Latest updates and team news from Champions League tie

And yet, somehow, this may be the least important game of their season. A far greater crisis has enveloped Tottenham. Atletico Madrid could represent an alternative reality for them, a club who have had their own unhappy experience of Champions League finals, who usually finish behind the superclubs in their own country, but who are nevertheless constants in the most prestigious and profitable continental competition.

Atletico boss Simeone has made six changes from the side that beat Real Sociedad in La Liga this weekend.

Johnny Cardoso – who US team boss Mauricio Pochettino will no doubt be keeping an eye on – comes into the starting XI alongside Marcos Llorente, Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann, Robin Le Normand and Marc Pubill.

They replace Nahuel Molina, Jose Maria Gimenez, Rodri Mendoza, Koke, Thiago Almada and Alexander Sorloth.

Four changes for Spurs after the humbling 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace: Kinsky comes in for Vicario between the sticks, with Richarlison starting (as Tudor promised beforehand) alongside Romero – back from suspension – and Spence.

Souza, Palhina and Solanke are out of the XI, the latter two on the bench.

Atletico XI: Oblak, Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri, Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman, Alvarez, Griezmann.

Substitutes: Musso, Gimenez, Koke, Barrios, Sorloth, Baena, Almada, Lenglet, Molina, Vargas, Gonzalez, Diaz.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Romero, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro, Sarr, Gray, Spence, Tel, Richarlison, Kolo Muani.

Substitutes: Vicario, Austin, Dragusin, Palhinha, Simons, Solanke, Gallagher, Olusesi, Rowswell.

Line-ups will be released in roughly five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news for both sides…

The positive news for Tottenham is they may be bolstered by some returns from injury: Djed Spence may be fit to feature after a calf injury, and Radu Dragusin, who missed the previous game with a knock, will be assessed, although the game may come too soon for Destiny Udogie.

Micky van de Ven – who was sent off against Crystal Palace midweek, precipitating a complete Spurs collapse – will be available, and Cristian Romero is another to have served a suspension domestically and is eligible to play.

Simeone may be without January signing Rodrigo Mendoza, who picked up an ankle issue in their previous game against Real Sociedad, but other than that Atletico are expected to field a full-strength side.

Atletico have only won one of their last 10 Champions League meetings with English clubs, beating Manchester United 1-0 in March 2022.

Spurs have faced Atlético Madrid just once before in European competition, beating them in the 1963 Cup Winners’ Cup final 5-1.

Spurs are back at Atletico Madrid‘s Riyadh Air Metropolitano for the first time since they lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final and the north London club are mired in a relegation fight after an 11-match winless league run this year.

Already with an eight-player injury list, any further absentees could damage Tottenham’s hopes of staying up and Tudor agreed when asked if Tuesday’s last-16 first-leg tie was a free hit and a chance to try some new ideas.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be in attendance as his old club face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Spurs are set to play Atletico at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

The venue holds a poignant significance for Tottenham, as it was the site of their 2019 Champions League final defeat under Pochettino’s management.

It might not have been the wisest idea for Igor Tudor to opt for a nautical reference. “The boat is going in the direction I want,” said the Tottenham manager. The temptation was to reply that it is a sinking ship, that the vessel Tudor commands is the Titanic, with deluxe furnishings, but going down.

Thursday’s 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace suggested that, in 2026, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host the NFL, Bad Bunny, Atletico Madrid and Lincoln City. It would be an eclectic assortment. Few go from Champions League to Championship in a few months. Tottenham might, and there would be something hubristic about a club that signed up for the Super League in 2021 descending to a very different division five years later. Although considering Spurs’ only wins in 2026 have come against German opposition, perhaps they should apply to join the Bundesliga instead.