When was the last time Tottenham played Atletico Madrid?

So, Atlético Madrid it is for Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League round of 16.

Our European excursions, much like last season, have brought about some much-needed respite from the domestic gloom, with Thomas Frank, to his credit, guiding the Lilywhites to an impressive fourth-place finish in the league phase table.

However, Spurs weren't exactly rewarded in Friday's draw, even if they've made it onto the weaker 'blue side'. While Atléti's reputation as nightmare opposition in the latter stages of this competition is somewhat overrated—they haven't reached the semi-finals since 2016/17—Diego Simeone's side should still be far too good for a Lilywhite outfit that risks succumbing to the second tier.

Nevertheless, these are two ties to be excited for. There's a sense of novelty surrounding the fixtures, because it'll be the first time we've ever encountered Simeone's Rojiblancos in a competitive outing.

Tottenham's most recent match against Atlético Madrid

Tottenham have faced off against Atléti in the past decade, but that contest came in pre-season ahead of our majestic 2016/17 campaign.

The friendly was part of that summer's International Champions Cup, and Mauricio Pochettino's side succumbed to a Diego Godin goal in Melbourne.

Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela were among the notable starters for Spurs that day, while Son Heung-min featured off the bench as he prepared for his second season in north London. Anton Walkes, who left the club in 2018 and tragically passed away aged just 25 in 2023, also started the friendly.

Atléti were certainly stronger in personnel, with Simeone opting for what was almost a full-strength starting XI. Jan Oblak operated between the posts, Godin was partnered by Stefan Savic, while Thomas Partey, Gabi and Tiago played in midfield. Fernando Torres, during his twilight, started up top, too.

In vintage Atléti fashion, Godin's strike was their single shot on target at the MCG.

If you want to talk about competitive meetings, remarkably, there has been just one between these two clubs.

The pair collided in the 1963 European Cup Winners' Cup final, with Tottenham just two years removed from their historic double. Rangers, Slovan Bratislava and OFK Belgrade were each dispatched by Bill Nicholson's swashbuckling outfit on their way to the final, and Atléti proved to be no match in the now-defunct competition's showpiece event.

Braces for Jimmy Greaves and Terry Dyson helped Tottenham to a thumping 5-1 victory in Rotterdam, as we became the first English club to win a European trophy.

"And if you know you're history..."