UCL discussion points: Spurs perform poorly as all Premier League clubs experience defeat.

We are at the halfway point of the UEFA Champions League round of 16, and while some matchups remain finely balanced, several of the tournament’s top teams are beginning to assert themselves.

Bayern Munich’s 6-1 thrashing of Atalanta has likely secured Vincent Kompany’s team a place in the quarterfinals, while Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Manchester City have “not much” chance of overcoming Real Madrid’s three-goal advantage.

Then there’s Tottenham Hotspur. What are we to make of Igor Tudor and his squad?

Fortunately, ESPN FC writers Mark Ogden, Sam Tighe, Gab Marcotti, and Alex Kirkland are on hand to analyze the events as they unfolded, reflect on the first legs, and preview next week’s return matches.

– Ogden: PSG are Champions League favorites, and victory over Chelsea illustrates why
– Olley: Arsenal rescued by Havertz in Champions League but need to improve
– Valverde’s hat trick shines as Real Madrid outclass Man City

Q1. What issues are plaguing Tottenham? What challenges does Tudor face? Broadly speaking, the club is in turmoil domestically, with a manageable trip to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League … yet they capitulated with a largely first-choice lineup within 25 minutes. Was this more about Atlético being significantly superior, or did Spurs simply give in? Is there any path forward for them, not just in Europe, but in terms of Tudor salvaging the season or his beleaguered goalkeeper, Antonín Kinsky, recovering from this setback?

TIGHE: It seems there isn’t a week that passes without something truly disastrous occurring for Tottenham. From humiliating losses to absurd blunders to viral moments of players disregarding the manager — it’s been a continuous wave of negativity for months. This heavy 5-2 defeat at Atlético Madrid, where the ridicule fell squarely on Spurs — and Micky van de Ven, and unfortunate Kinsky — is merely the latest in a series of almost unbelievable incidents.

It’s hardly surprising that this team hasn’t secured a victory this year. It’s also no shock that West Ham United have gained 12 points on them since mid-January, and we are now at a juncture where another defeat could plunge Tottenham into the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Tudor, for his part, has been a complete failure. They should have dismissed him following the loss to Crystal Palace, as it was clear at that moment that whatever was happening was not going to succeed. However, the decision-makers seem to be hesitating, just as they did for months with Thomas Frank…

OGDEN: Spurs are a club that has made poor choices, both in recruitment and coaching appointments, for far too long, and now the consequences are becoming evident.

I concur with Sam that Tudor has been a disaster, but he should never have been appointed in the first place. That decision reflected arrogance, complacency, and a lack of accountability within the boardroom.

Who genuinely believed it was wise to hire a coach with, at best, a mediocre track record and no experience in the Premier League as either a player or coach? The CEO, Vinai Venkatesham, either thought it was a brilliant idea — or he lacked the conviction to inform the owners that it wasn’t — but in either case, he shares responsibility with the players and Tudor for Spurs’ current predicament.

I actually thought the team showed some resilience after the dreadful start in Madrid. Perhaps a sense of defiance and self-respect began to emerge, but it may be too late. Spurs are likely to exit the competition, and I also believe they are heading for relegation.

play1:29Why Steve Nicol would sack Igor Tudor tonight

Steve Nicol argues that Tottenham should dismiss Igor Tudor immediately, stating that nothing has improved since Tudor’s arrival.

KIRKLAND: I was present, and I cannot recall witnessing anything like those opening 25 minutes from Spurs, from any team, ever. It felt like a squad in the midst of an existential crisis. Atlético capitalized on this, but they weren’t particularly remarkable aside from a few moments of brilliance, such as Antoine Griezmann’s one-touch flick assist for Julián Álvarez. Otherwise, they didn’t need to do anything extraordinary. Spurs handed it to them.

Having not attended one of his press conferences before, I was quite unimpressed with Tudor’s demeanor after the match as well. The content of his answers, including his insistence that starting Kinsky was the right decision, left everyone more perplexed.

The only positive to note is that given the depths they reached in that first half, a 5-2 final scoreline isn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. Atlético has a history of faltering away from home this season, and one can envision a second-leg scenario where Spurs score a goal, or even two, and give themselves a glimmer of hope … before it slips away once more.

MARCOTTI: I can’t really disagree with much of the above. There’s clear dysfunction and a lack of communication here, extending beyond Tudor. What was the rationale behind Johnny Heitinga’s hiring? He was brought in as Frank’s “first team coach” in January — without anyone clarifying whether Frank wanted him — and then dismissed just after Frank was let go.

However, I don’t believe Tudor’s lack of Premier League experience is as significant an issue. Arne Slot, Andoni Iraola, Antonio Conte, and many others have succeeded without any Premier League experience. It’s not like it was in the past — everyone follows the Premier League now, everyone has access to information, and it’s not as different as it was perhaps 10-15 years ago.

More broadly, I think we need to scrutinize Tudor more regarding the Kinsky situation. He made the wrong decision in starting him, doubled down on his justification afterward (“I wanted to relieve pressure from Guglielmo Vicario; it was the right choice at the time.”), worsened the situation by substituting him (and failing to recognize that a touch of humanity when passing by would have been appropriate), and, of course, he has now undermined Vicario’s confidence as well.

What must he be thinking? “I got benched for this bundle of nerves?”

Q2. Liverpool delivered another disappointing performance at Galatasaray in this competition, losing 1-0 in a result that must feel like a victory considering the effort (and they had a goal disallowed, as did the Turkish champions). However, Mohamed Salah was absent, Florian Wirtz appeared unconvincing, and once again this team is in search of a leader. Will they be able to turn this around at Anfield, or will Gala break their poor record in England to progress?

OGDEN: Everything suggests Liverpool will reverse the tie in the second leg. They possess their European pedigree, the Anfield advantage, and Galatasaray’s poor record in England — which surely won’t be improved by visiting fans being banned for this match due to a UEFA sanction. However, sometimes the expected outcome does not materialize, and there are reasons to believe that Galatasaray might just achieve a surprise victory in this tie.

The Turkish side has the goal-scoring threat of Victor Osimhen against the increasingly shaky performances of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, with Gabriel Sara and Noa Lang demonstrating their ability to trouble Liverpool in the first leg. Galatasaray also has streetwise players, with a wealth of experience in the squad, including Ilkay Gündogan, Leroy Sané, Mauro Icardi, and Mario Lemina.

One must still consider Liverpool the favorites due to their home advantage, but there are numerous vulnerabilities Galatasaray can exploit in Slot’s team.

MARCOTTI: Mark is correct. Clearly, Liverpool are favorites, but at the same time, there are significant warning signs that Slot cannot overlook.

I have discussed the center backs all season, and it is simply unacceptable that they did not address this in January. They are always at risk, and they were extremely fortunate that Osimhen’s goal was disallowed. A 2-0 first leg deficit presents a completely different scenario. Still, there is an evident fragility in this team, and the fact that the ties are occurring so closely together — with a league match against Tottenham in between — must be a concern for Slot.

Can Konaté regain the right mindset for the return leg? I genuinely do not know. The reality that he has to rely on those two every single match and essentially compel them to regain their form is not a healthy situation.

Wirtz is what he is: still adjusting and, in my opinion, not a suitable No. 10 in this setup right now. So, you push him wide, and you get the type of performance we witnessed in Istanbul. There is no straightforward solution there. I still believe that switching to a front two would be beneficial (or at least help Salah), but that cannot be implemented overnight; it requires training, and they have a very stretched squad and limited time.

So, yes, Liverpool are favorites, but the margin for error is extremely slim.

play2:57Nicol: Liverpool never looked in control vs. Galatasaray

The ESPN ‘FC TV’ crew reacts to Galatasaray’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.

KIRKLAND: Mark and Gab will watch Liverpool far more than I do. And I acknowledge this is a flawed Liverpool team. However: this is Liverpool, in Europe, at Anfield. Surely they’ll overcome a one-goal deficit? If Galatasaray entered the second leg with a two- or three-goal lead, then yes, they would have a chance. But I cannot envision how Liverpool fails to turn this around. Moreover, consider Galatasaray’s away record in the Champions League this season: they have lost four out of five matches, with defeats at Eintracht Frankfurt, AS Monaco, Man City, and Juventus, and only one victory, at Ajax Amsterdam back in November. Personally, I cannot see it.

TIGHE: Certainly, Liverpool appears unconvincing, but it was less than a month ago that Galatasaray took a three-goal lead to Turin, faced 10-man Juventus, and nearly squandered it.

Osimhen ultimately scored the goal that secured the aggregate victory in extra time, and he did not even celebrate. Some speculated he was showing respect to a team that attempted to sign him recently, but I suspect he was either embarrassed or outraged by his team’s collective performance that night.

Put this Gala side, with just a one-goal lead, in a contest at Anfield when the stakes are incredibly high, and I would wager it is they who falter, not Liverpool.

Q3. Madrid finally delivered a potent, cohesive performance and showcased their absolute best against Man City, something we have not witnessed all season and certainly not under Alvaro Arbeloa. Antonio Rüdiger kept Erling Haaland quiet — once again — while Federico Valverde scored some remarkable goals. Nico O’Reilly, a rising talent in recent weeks for Guardiola, was targeted relentlessly. Can City regroup at home, or is this yet another tournament in which the Spanish side outperforms Guardiola & Co.?

KIRKLAND: Undoubtedly, this was Madrid’s most significant result of the season, by far, and one of their finest performances. They have often fallen short in crucial matches: against Liverpool and City in the group stage, against Atleti, and against Barcelona in the Spanish Supercopa. Not on Wednesday. Their reward is a substantial 3-0 lead to carry to Manchester next week.

However, listening to Guardiola speak afterward, it was evident he felt the match was more evenly contested than the scoreline indicates. City created dangerous opportunities — particularly down the left against Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first half — but failed to deliver a decisive final ball. Conversely, Valverde was clinical for Madrid. I would not be surprised if City took the lead in Manchester, or even went 2-0 up, and pushed Madrid to the limit. Madrid performed well tonight, but they remain vulnerable: they have demonstrated this repeatedly throughout the season.

TIGHE: Pep may believe it was a relatively balanced match, but outside of the first 10 minutes, I am not convinced that is accurate.

I was astonished that Madrid appeared so impressive (they have been inconsistent all season, looked poor against Benfica, and fielded at best half their strongest team here) — but when you consider the XI Guardiola selected … well, perhaps he handed Los Blancos the initiative.

I generally think the narrative that “Pep overcomplicates big games” is greatly exaggerated, but I have some concerns on this occasion. First, three wingers? Why? And that does not even include former winger Bernardo Silva. Antoine Semenyo struggled as he was pushed into central areas, and Savinho was ineffective; Jérémy Doku was the only one who looked competent.

Secondly: It’s easy to overlook, but for Semenyo, Marc Guéhi, and even Abdukodir Khusanov, a Champions League knockout match at the famous Bernabéu is a monumental step. Semenyo and Guéhi joined midseason from AFC Bournemouth and Palace, respectively!

It’s a significant stage, the lights are very bright, and Pep did not assist himself — or his players — with his selection.

play1:37Burley: Man City were absolutely awful vs. Real Madrid

Craig Burley criticizes Man City’s performance against Real Madrid after their 3-0 loss in the Champions League.

MARCOTTI: This is a massive victory: Real Madrid approached the match with the right mindset, and Arbeloa has secured himself some time. And, yes, let’s remember there was no Kylian Mbappé, Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, and Álvaro Carreras. And, certainly, Madrid is in a strong position for a place in the quarterfinals at this stage, and with Thibaut Courtois in goal and all those individual talents, they may yet win it.

However — yes, there’s always a however — two points must be made. First, this is not a blueprint; you are not building towards anything. You will not face many more teams that play like City do, and there won’t be too many more situations where you can deploy a de facto back five and no center forward. So it’s not a foundation; it’s a necessity. Which is fine, find a way to win and all that, but the lingering questions about this team remain.

The second point is that Man City were quite poor. I believe Guardiola made numerous errors with both his team selection — as Sam points out above — and the game plan. Semenyo in that role contributes little, and bringing in Savinho, who has been peripheral all season, seemed unwise. Additionally, playing without Rayan Cherki (or Phil Foden) leaves you lacking in creativity. Regarding the defense, well, Sam raises an interesting point about the Bernabéu and inexperience with this back four (other than Rúben Dias), but, hey, Pep constructed this team. I do not think the types of mistakes we observed were due to inexperience; they were likely more a result of lack of awareness and poor decisions (O’Reilly on Valverde stands out).

OGDEN: This tie remains alive because Madrid will head to the Etihad with potentially all of their injured players absent again, which makes them vulnerable. City could easily overturn a 3-0 deficit. It just requires a strong start, an early goal, and the inexperience of Real’s younger players to feel the pressure, just as Guehi, Semenyo, and Khusanov did in the Bernabéu.

However, Real’s lead provides them with a significant advantage as they will be able to counterattack City, who will inevitably leave gaps at the back. I was at Anfield when Liverpool overturned a 3-0 deficit against a Barcelona side that was much stronger than this Real team, so I know anything is possible. Among the three English teams trailing by three goals after the first legs, I consider City the only one capable of mounting a comeback to win the tie.

It’s unlikely, but they can still achieve it.

Q4. Chelsea’s lack of maturity and cohesion was evident in a disheartening 5-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain, where they twice equalized before conceding three goals in the final 15 minutes … including yet another significant error from a goalkeeper. Are PSG “back” and now positioned to win this title? And what can the Blues take away from the loss, if anything?

TIGHE: PSG can defeat anyone in the world when they are on form offensively. That fluidity and enjoyment have been absent too frequently from their play this season, but on Wednesday we witnessed it — and Chelsea collided head-on with it.

What the Blues can glean from the match, however, is that they are clearly capable of causing PSG problems of their own. This was a compelling back-and-forth for just over an hour, with Chelsea creating four significant chances in total and enjoying several periods where they played quick, incisive football.

The match slipped away from them in the end, and the question of maturity — from both the players’ perspective and perhaps the manager’s as well — is valid, but they return to Stamford Bridge knowing they can inflict damage on their opponents. That is enough to hold onto for now.

MARCOTTI: PSG never disappeared, so they cannot be considered “back.” I do not rank them among the favorites to win the Champions League because they significantly downgraded at goalkeeper (and without Donnarumma, they would not have won it last year), too many players have been inconsistent, they face a title challenge domestically, and Luis Enrique is on the verge of becoming erratic and peculiar again. However, yes, they can win it, especially since, among the top-tier favorites, everyone except Bayern seems to have glaring weaknesses.

Regarding Chelsea, you may attribute it to a lack of maturity, but I do not believe youth serves as much of an excuse here. Wesley