Xavi Simons scores twice as Tottenham win but bow out of Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons celebrates scoring their side's second goal against Atletico Madrid during their UEFA Champions League round of sixteen, second leg match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London. Picture: John Walton/PA

Tottenham bowed out of the Champions League but only after a rip-roaring last-16 second leg with Atletico Madrid where Xavi Simons' brace helped them to a first home victory in two months.

Spurs had lurched from one crisis to another in 2026 and a shambolic 5-2 loss in Madrid last week left Igor Tudor on the brink, but a spirited 1-1 draw at Liverpool restored belief and the north London club clawed back more pride on Wednesday despite a 7-5 aggregate defeat.

Randal Kolo Muani's 30th-minute opener gave Tottenham a glimmer of hope before Julian Alvarez levelled early in the second half for Atletico.

Simons replied immediately to increase optimism, but David Hancko's 75th-minute equaliser virtually put the tie to bed.

There was still time for Simons to score a spot-kick in stoppage time to end Spurs' eight-match winless run with a 3-2 victory and extend an unbeaten home record in Europe to 25 matches, but all eyes now turn to Premier League survival and Sunday's crucial visit of Nottingham Forest.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane became the first English player to hit 50 Champions League goals, scoring twice as Bayern Munich humbled Atalanta again to complete a 10-2 aggregate win.

The Bundesliga giants set up a mouth-watering quarter-final against Real Madrid, following up their 6-1 victory in Bergamo with a 4-1 home success at the Allianz Arena.

Kane hit the first two, a retaken penalty and a brilliantly worked second, to bring up his half-century and take his season's tally to 47.

Lennart Karl and Luis Diaz added to the scoring as Bayern racked up double figures for the tie, before a late consolation for Lazar Samardzic.