Tottenham Hotspur have learned which teams stand in their way of making it to the Champions League final in Budapest, beginning with a club who often go the distance in Europe.
The Champions League last 16 draw has taken place and Tottenham Hotspur will face Atletico Madrid in a tie which could ultimately prove difficult to overcome.
Diego Simeone’s team currently sit fourth in La Liga, 13 points below Barcelona who lead the way in Spain.
However, they thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey semi-finals and earned a big win over Club Brugge in the Champions League play-offs last Tuesday.
Spurs will need two big performances to overcome Atletico. Also, even if Igor Tudor and his squad make it through, there are a number of obstacles standing in the way of securing a place in the final.
Tottenham could face Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals
With the Champions League draw for each round now fully mapped out, Spurs know which teams they could face if they emerge triumphant over Atletico.
Tottenham will take on the winner of Barcelona and Newcastle in the quarter-finals, if they make it that far. The Magpies have been somewhat of a bogey team to Spurs in recent years, while a tie with the Spanish giants is never going to be straightforward.
Should Tottenham prevail once more, Arsenal are the most likely team they would face in the semi-finals.
Nobody needs reminding that both North London derby fixtures this season were an absolute disaster, so this would be a nightmare tie.
However, if Mikel Arteta’s men were to suffer a surprising defeat, Bodo/Glimt, Sporting CP and Bayer Leverkusen are other potential opponents.
If Tottenham make it all the way to the final, the most likely opponents would be PSG, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, or Man City. Chelsea, Galatasaray, and Atalanta are also in the other half of the draw.
If the favourites all progress and Tottenham keep surviving, the most likely route to the final is:
Atletico Madrid > Barcelona > Arsenal > Bayern Munich. Easy, right?
Spurs must focus on each round as it comes
There is no point in Tudor preparing for a possible third North London derby of the season when his team are probably not even favourites to defeat Atletico Madrid.
The only way Spurs will go the distance in the Champions League is by taking it one game at a time, and this begins with working out how a victory over the La Liga club can be secured.
Right now, the road to Budapest seems daunting, but who in their right mind really expected Tottenham to make it to Bilbao last season?
Belief is exactly what is needed, but that must be matched with a strong strategy and a lot of hard work if Spurs are to do the unthinkable yet again in Europe.
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