'Doomsday scenario' for Spurs after 'blows' - Van de Ven
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'Doomsday scenario' for Spurs after 'blows' - Van de Ven

11 March, 2026.Sports.1 sources

Key Takeaways

  • Tottenham lost 5-2 at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16 first leg
  • Spurs suffered a fourth successive defeat under interim boss Igor Tudor
  • Micky van de Ven said the team were 'just taking blow after blow'

Match collapse

Tottenham suffered a shambolic 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, their fourth successive defeat under interim boss Igor Tudor.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven says they found themselves in a "doomsday scenario" during their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, adding the club is "just taking blow after blow"

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The Premier League club trailed 4-0 after only 22 minutes, with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky withdrawn in the 17th minute, having conceded three times in an error-strewn start.

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Van de Ven reaction

Micky van de Ven said they found themselves in a "doomsday scenario" during their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid and added that the club is "just taking blow after blow."

Speaking to Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport he described the start as "terrible," saying: "It's actually a doomsday scenario. Everything that could go wrong went wrong."

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He also said: "For our goalkeeper it's terrible as well of course. You don't wish that on anyone."

He added: "For 15 minutes we just conceded goals that you really can't do anything about."

Form and management

Tudor's appointment as interim head coach in February followed Thomas Frank's dismissal after less than eight months in charge, but has yet to have the desired impact to lift the side.

Consequences and fixtures

With Spurs 16th in the Premier League and just a point clear of third-bottom West Ham, the top priority over the remainder of the season is avoiding a first relegation from the top flight since 1977.

They return to domestic duties on Sunday when they travel to defending league champions Liverpool, while a crucial home game on 22 March against relegation rivals Nottingham Forest follows next Wednesday's second leg against Atletico Madrid.

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Van de Ven will miss the trip to Liverpool after being sent off in last Thursday's 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace and said he has stopped checking his phone, adding: "I'm completely done with it. Just my family, so it'll be fine."

He called the period "really, really awful" and said: "It's rough, really rough. I have to keep going. It's part of it, that's life and we'll see what's coming."

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