The English Tottenham, threatened with relegation in their domestic league, is set for a harsh reminder of its painful decline when it faces host Atletico Madrid, the 'predator', at the Metropolitano stadium in the capital Madrid on Tuesday (12:00 UAE time) in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Tottenham is currently 16th in the English Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, following a humiliating home defeat to their London neighbor Crystal Palace 1-3 on Thursday to conclude the 29th matchday. The north London club faces the risk of playing in the second-tier Championship league for the first time since the 1978 season, after conceding two or more goals in nine consecutive league matches for the first time in its history. Tottenham has lost five consecutive league matches and has not won any of its last 11 matches in the Premier League, marking its worst run since 1975. Amid this concerning scenario, the team led by Croatian coach Igor Tudor hopes to alleviate the pressure of their domestic struggles by achieving a victory over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of this prestigious continental tournament. However, Tottenham's trip to Madrid will serve as a stark reminder for its angry fans of the extent of the club's decline since its last appearance at the Metropolitano stadium seven years ago. In 2019, Tottenham reached the Champions League final under then-manager Mauricio Pochettino, with a squad featuring Harry Kane, South Korean Son Heung-min, Danish Christian Eriksen, and French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, and was then seen as an emerging force. However, the team lost the final to their compatriots Liverpool 0-2 in a lackluster performance, and just five months later, Pochettino was dismissed, after which began a slow decline that could culminate in the humiliation of relegation to their country's first division. In addition to the unwelcome memories evoked by the return to the Metropolitano, the match against Atletico also serves as a reminder of Tottenham's reputation as one of the most disappointing English football clubs. In 1963, Tottenham thrashed Atletico 5-1 in the European Cup Winners' Cup final, becoming the first British club to win a European trophy, just two years after winning both the English league and the FA Cup in the same season. Since then, such dominance has remained just a dream for the club's supporters.
