Tottenham Hotspur will face either Galatasaray or Atlético Madrid in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, following a dramatic qualification process for the Turkish side. The draw, to be held in Switzerland on Friday at 11am UK time, will determine which of the two teams Spurs will encounter in March.
Galatasaray secured their place after a remarkable comeback against Juventus in a two-legged play-off. Having won the first leg 5-2 in Istanbul, they endured a challenging return match in Turin. Juventus, spurred by a Manuel Locatelli penalty and later goals from Federico Gatti and Weston McKennie, leveled the aggregate score at 5-5 despite playing with ten men after a red card to Lloyd Kelly. However, Victor Osimhen scored in extra time, followed by a decisive goal from Baris Yilmaz in the 119th minute, sealing a 6-5 aggregate victory for Galatasaray.
Atlético Madrid progressed to the Round of 16 after defeating Club Brugge 7-4 on aggregate, winning the second leg 4-1.
Tottenham qualified automatically for the knockout stage by finishing fourth in the league phase table. The club’s European performance this season contrasts sharply with their domestic form, where they currently sit just four points above the Premier League relegation zone, leading supporters to place increased importance on their Champions League campaign.
Spurs have a prior history with both potential opponents. They defeated Atlético Madrid 5-1 in the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, with goals from James Greaves (two), John White, and Terry Dyson. Their more recent encounter was against Galatasaray in the 2024/25 Europa League group stage, resulting in a 3-2 defeat for Tottenham, with Yunus Akgun and Victor Osimhen scoring for Galatasaray and Dominic Solanke and Will Lankshear replying for the visitors.
Liverpool will also learn their Round of 16 opponent on Friday, with both they and Tottenham set to face either Atlético Madrid or Galatasaray.