There has been the feeling at too many points of this traumatic season for Tottenham that they only play when the result is beyond them. This Champions League last-16 tie looked that way when Atlético Madrid went 4-0 up after 22 minutes of the first leg last Tuesday and nobody gave Spurs a prayer of overturning the final scoreline from the Metropolitano of 5-2.
They played here. It was a strange evening because there were times when the hope did crackle. Spurs had massive chances for a two-goal lead on the night. Mathys Tel at 1-0 towards the end of the first half; Pedro Porro at 2-1 on the hour. There was another in stoppage time for Randal Kolo Muani at 3-2. It was surely too late by then. All of them went begging.
