UCL 2025-26: Atletico Madrid survives scare against Tottenham Hotspur to reach quarters; Bayern Munich eases past Atalanta

Atletico Madrid withstood a rousing ​Tottenham Hotspur fightback to reach ‌the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 quarterfinal with ​a 7-5 aggregate victory despite ⁠a 3-2 loss in north London on Wednesday.

Diego Simeone’s side, which scored ‌four times in the opening 22 minutes in ‌last week’s 5-2 first ‌leg ⁠home romp, wobbled under ⁠a Spurs onslaught, but goals by Julian Alvarez and David Hancko gave Atletico ​some breathing ‌space.

Randal Kolo Muani’s header gave Tottenham a halftime lead and fuelled hopes of a great ‌escape.

Alvarez rifled in an equaliser ​shortly after halftime, but when Xavi Simons restored ⁠Tottenham’s lead with a curled effort soon after, hope was restored ‌for the host.

Atletico keeper Juan Musso made some crucial saves as Tottenham poured forward, but Hancko’s near-post header stopped it in its tracks.

A ‌90th-minute penalty tucked away by Simons in ​the 90th minute came too late, but it ⁠at least provided a morale boost for ⁠Tottenham as it now focuses on avoiding relegation from ‌the Premier League.

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Atletico will face Barcelona in the quarterfinal.

HARRY KANE REACHES 50 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOALS

Forward Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich crushed ​Atalanta 4-1 on Wednesday, for an aggregate ‌10-2 demolition, to reach the last eight.

Kane became the ⁠first English player to reach 50 goals in the Champions League, and he needed 66 matches, ‌making him the third-fastest to reach the milestone.

The Bavarians, chasing a ‌treble of titles, will next face ‌Real ⁠Madrid in a mouth-watering quarterfinal ⁠between two continental heavyweights who have been European champions a combined 21 times.

With Bayern keeper Jonas Urbig ​having recovered from ‌last week’s concussion just in time, Bayern was on the attack from the start despite carrying a 6-1 advantage ‌from the first leg.

Kane opened his ​account with a 25th-minute penalty, which he had to retake after keeper ⁠Marco Sportiello had saved his first effort but had moved off the line ‌too early.

The England captain, who is also the leading Bundesliga scorer, then added his 10th Champions League goal of the season nine minutes after the restart when he spectacularly shook off two players, ‌turned and fired in for 2-0.

Teenager Lennart Karl ​bagged the third goal just two minutes later from a Luis ⁠Diaz assist, and Karl returned the favour with ⁠a pin-point cross for the Colombian to get on to the ‌scoresheet as well in the 70th. Lazar Samardzic grabbed a late consolation goal ​for the Italians.

Published on Mar 19, 2026