Attention shifts to the Champions League for Tottenham Hotspur this week as they seek to establish an advantage ahead of the second leg of their round of 16 encounter with Atletico Madrid.

Spurs make the trip to Spain on Tuesday evening (8pm) as they attempt to put their Premier League woes behind them. The second leg follows just over a week afterwards at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday, 18 March.

Tottenham‘s most recent fixture saw them succumb to a 3-1 home loss against Crystal Palace on Thursday evening, placing them in genuine jeopardy of relegation from the Premier League. The Champions League could prove a welcome respite from the pressures of the survival battle.

Spurs have enjoyed the entire weekend to prepare for the fixture, having not been involved in the FA Cup fifth round. All focus will consequently be on Tuesday evening’s match.

Tottenham have endured more than their reasonable share of injury setbacks throughout the campaign. With that in mind, here’s an examination of the latest from the treatment room for both sides ahead of the fixture.

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Tottenham

Igor Tudor faces an anxious wait over the fitness of full-back Djed Spence, who has been absent from the last two fixtures due to ‘soreness.’ Prior to last week’s encounter against Palace, Igor Tudor expressed optimism that he’d be available in time for the clash against Atletico, but it may prove a waiting game for the player and club.

Spurs’ injury roster is not expected to shrink too much anytime soon, having persisted relentlessly throughout the season. Long-term casualties Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert are progressing through their rehabilitation from significant knee problems.

Rodrigo Bentancur is likewise undergoing treatment following an operation on a hamstring complaint. He will be accompanied on the treatment table by Mohammed Kudus, with the forward’s comeback pencilled in for following the forthcoming international break.

A comparable scenario exists with Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies, who may stage their returns from an ankle problem after the international break.

Full-back Destiny Udogie will be approaching a return to the pitch, with a four-to-five-week timeframe placed on his availability in early February. Nevertheless, the fixture against Atletico might arrive slightly prematurely.

Questions may also surround the availability of defender Radu Dragusin, who sat out the Palace encounter due to a minor complaint.

The positive development for Spurs is that the dismissal shown to centre-back Micky van de Ven against Palace does not transfer to the Champions League. He will consequently be eligible to face Atletico.

Atletico Madrid

Matters are appearing considerably calmer regarding the medical room at Atletico Madrid. There are merely two players who are uncertain for the fixture.

Midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza was substituted at the interval during Saturday’s 3-2 La Liga victory over Real Sociedad, having sustained a significant blow to his ankle. The club have since confirmed he has suffered a “moderate ankle sprain”, ruling him out of the fixture against Spurs.

Fellow midfielder Pablo Barrios has been absent for the past nine matches across all competitions due to a muscle injury. However, he returned to training this weekend ahead of the midweek encounter.

Whether the Spurs match will mark his return to action remains to be seen, or whether it will prove too soon for the 22-year-old.