Tottenham's Champions League Dreams Shattered as Atletico Secure Quarter-Finals Spot
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Atletico Madrid held off Tottenham's bid for an epic Champions League escape as they reached the quarter-finals despite a 3-2 defeat in the last-16 second leg on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone's side trailed three times in north London but they did just enough to go through 7-5 on aggregate.
Randal Kolo Muani put Tottenham ahead in the first half before Julian Alvarez levelled immediately after the break.
Xavi Simons netted to give spirited Tottenham a glimmer of hope, but David Hancko's equaliser extinguished any chance of an incredible comeback.
Simons' stoppage-time penalty came too late for Tottenham to complete their mission impossible.
Atletico will meet Barcelona in the last eight after their Spanish rivals crushed Newcastle 7-2 on Wednesday.
Third-placed Atletico, who recently knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey, are 13 points behind Hansi Flick's La Liga leaders.
Simeone's men will have to improve significantly on this erratic display if they are to reach the semi-finals.
Languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, Tottenham's European exit leaves them to focus on their bid to avoid the humiliation of relegation.
Igor Tudor's men are just one point above the relegation zone as they teeter on the brink of playing in the second tier for the first time since 1977-78.
Bolstered by their first win since interim boss Tudor replaced the sacked Thomas Frank, Tottenham host fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest on Sunday in a crucial clash in their fight for survival.
