3 things we learned from Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid (5-7 agg.)

Tottenham earned a hard-fought 3-2 win against Atletico Madrid in the 2nd leg.

Tottenham showed fight and character to beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the 5-2 first-leg deficit. Randal Kolo Muani, Xavi Simons with a brace (including a late penalty) gave Spurs a win on the night, but Julian Alvarez and David Hancko’s goals ensured Diego Simeone’s side progressed 7-5 on aggregate to set up a quarter-final clash with Barcelona.

Here are 3 things we learned from Tottenham Hotspur’s win against Atletico Madrid.

1. Xavi Simons finally delivered when it mattered most

The £52m summer signing from RB Leipzig has been a rather underwhelming buy, but he turned up when Tottenham needed him. Simons scored twice, including a brilliant curling effort in the second half that bent into the bottom-right corner after great work from Archie Gray. His late penalty secured the win on the night and gave the fans something to cheer about.

On a night where Tottenham’s Champions League campaign ended, Simons at least showed glimpses of why Spurs paid big money for him. Whether this performance is a one-off or the start of something remains to be seen, but it was his best display in a Tottenham shirt.

2. This spirited performance offers hope in the relegation battle

Tottenham looked like a team finally coming together, fighting together, as they bowed out of the Champions League despite the defeat on aggregate. Spurs were hammered 5-2 in the first leg last week, but they showed steely resilience to claw their way back. The victory snaps Spurs’ eight-game winless run in all competitions, though they remain without a win in their last 12 Premier League games heading into the weekend. This also marked Igor Tudor’s first win as Tottenham’s interim boss.

The character shown against Atletico suggests Tottenham can absolutely build on this performance and lift morale before key players return from injury in the coming weeks. With fixtures against Sunderland, Brighton, and Wolves coming up, Spurs need to carry this momentum into the relegation scrap.

3. Tottenham’s European adventure masked their domestic nightmare

While Spurs showed pride in Europe, the bigger picture remains bleak. They achieved important Champions League victories in January against Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund, which kept spirits high despite a terrible league run. But those European nights papered over the cracks. Tottenham are now out of the Champions League and can focus solely on Premier League survival. They sit 16th in the table, just 1 point above the relegation zone with 8 games remaining. Tudor will hope this performance provides a foundation to build on, but the harsh reality is that Tottenham are fighting for their top-flight status.