Dominic Solanke calls Tottenham’s Madrid collapse ‘one in a million’ after Atletico thrashing

Dominic Solanke has described Tottenham Hotspur’s chaotic start against Atlético Madrid as a “one in a million” meltdown after the North London side suffered a damaging 5-2 defeat in the UEFA Champions League round of 16.

Spurs endured a nightmare opening in Madrid on Tuesday night, conceding three goals inside the first 15 minutes as the tie slipped rapidly from their grasp.

Two of those goals followed costly errors from goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, whose slip for the opener and misplaced pass for the third prompted interim manager Igor Tudor to substitute him early in the match.

The visitors’ defensive chaos continued when centre-back Micky van de Ven slipped in the build-up to Atletico’s second goal, leaving Tottenham chasing the game before they had settled.

Despite the disastrous opening, Spurs eventually regained some composure and managed to score twice, with Solanke among the goals, to keep a faint hope alive ahead of the return leg in London.

Reflecting on the dramatic start, Solanke admitted the team had been stunned by the sequence of errors that quickly placed them on the back foot.

“Obviously the first 20 minutes was difficult, very difficult circumstances which are one in a million,” Solanke said. “You never prepare for that. You prepare all week to go into a game, have a game plan and then stuff like that can happen, which is rare.”

“That gave us a bit of mountain to climb, but I think overall we try to take some positives. We know we’ve still got another game.”

The defeat has further intensified scrutiny on Tudor, who stepped in as interim boss following the dismissal of Thomas Frank. The Croatian coach has now overseen four consecutive defeats since taking charge, leaving Tottenham struggling for momentum in both European and domestic competitions.

Attention now shifts to Sunday’s difficult trip to Liverpool, where Spurs will aim to halt a worrying run that has seen them lose six straight matches in all competitions. Their league form has been particularly troubling, with Tottenham languishing 16th in the Premier League standings.

Solanke acknowledged the team’s struggles but insisted belief remains within the squad.

“We’ve been so good in the Champions League this year but we know we haven’t been anywhere near good enough in the league,” he said. “It’s hard to put a finger on it, just changing one thing. I think we need to be better in every department.”

Tottenham sit just one point above both West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, underlining the urgency for a swift turnaround as their turbulent season threatens to spiral further.