Atletico Madrid made the most of a mistake-filled Tottenham side to secure a commanding 5-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie at the Metropolitano Stadium.
The Premier League visitors were stunned early, falling 4-0 behind inside just 22 minutes thanks to a series of defensive errors, including two costly mistakes from goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. Julian Alvarez was the star for Diego Simeone’s side, scoring twice, while Marcos Llorente, Antoine Griezmann, and Robin Le Normand also found the net.
The match got off to a disastrous start for Tottenham. Kinsky, making his first appearance since last October, slipped while trying to play out from the back, gifting the ball to Ademola Lookman. The Nigeria winger set up Alvarez, who squared it for Llorente to score after just six minutes. Moments later, Micky van de Ven stumbled, allowing Griezmann to make it 2-0, and Kinsky’s next error allowed Alvarez to tap into an empty net. After 17 minutes, Kinsky was replaced by Guglielmo Vicario, who made key saves but couldn’t prevent Le Normand from nodding in Atletico’s fourth.
Pedro Porro pulled one back for Tottenham, but Alvarez restored the four-goal margin just after halftime with a precise finish from a Griezmann pass. A late mistake from Atletico’s Jan Oblak allowed Dominic Solanke to score, giving Spurs a faint glimmer of hope for the second leg.
Despite a stronger performance in the second half, Tottenham remain in crisis, having lost all four games under interim coach Igor Tudor. Their priority now shifts to surviving the Premier League, with tough fixtures against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest looming around the second leg.
For Atletico, this emphatic win puts them in a strong position as they chase their first Champions League title, having finished runners-up in 2014 and 2016.
