Spurs exit Europe with heads held high after strong showing vs Atletico

Tottenham bowed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 with their heads held high following a 7-5 loss on aggregate to Atletico Madrid after a spirited 3-2 win at home in the second leg.

Igor Tudor's side faced an uphill battle following a humiliating 5-2 loss at the Estadio Metropolitano in the first leg but hopes of a comeback were sparked when Randal Kolo Muani capitalised on Spurs' strong start to head them into an early lead.

Julian Alvarez's equaliser dampened a crackling atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but a quickfire response from Xavi Simons, curling his effort in five minutes after his team conceded, restored belief for the home side once more.

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Atletico goalkeeper Julian Musso was called upon a total of eight times to keep Spurs at bay as they pushed to reduce the deficit, until a glancing header from David Hancko sealed Spurs' fate.

Xavi would go on to double his tally with a late penalty to secure the win on the evening, Tudor's first as head coach of the club, but a chaotic first 20 minutes in the first leg ultimately left them with too much to do.

The performance, albeit short of what the club needed to progress into a quarter-final tie against Barcelona, is one Spurs can take confidence from.

Despite injury concerns mounting, a relegation battle bubbling away in the background and noise surrounding Tudor's future at the club ever present, the home side threatened, competed and entertained from the first whistle.

"A step in the right direction," was how Tudor described the point at Anfield on Sunday in his programme notes. Wednesday night was another one for his side.

Spurs will now be tasked with taking the same traits into Sunday's game against Nottingham Forest, who sit one point below them in the Premier League, in what could prove to be a decisive fixture in the race for survival in the top flight.

Story of the match in stats...

When are the knockout stages?

Quarter-finals: April 7-8 and 14-15 Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6 Final: May 30 (Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary)