Igor Tudor has admitted that Tottenham's priority this season must be Premier League survival despite Tuesday night's Champions League round of 16 first leg at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening.
Spurs finished fourth in the big league table in Europe's top tier competition, earning them a route straight through to the last 16, but they take on their home and away legs in the Spanish capital amid a relegation battle back in the Premier League. The north London club sit just a point above the drop zone with nine games to go and while they face a big European clash, one eye will naturally be on remaining a top flight team and avoiding the disaster of slipping into the Championship.
When asked ahead of the game against Diego Simeone's side if this match was something of a free hit to try some new things as the focus is on the Premier League and the relegation battle, Tudor nodded.
"I agree with both things. As I said, focus on us, playing a team, who has a story in this Champions League, what they have experienced, they have quality," he said. "We need to do our best in terms that we need to grow, as you said also, because our first aim is the Premier League - this needs to be said publicly, this is a normal thing - this is something extra. But that doesn't mean that we don't want to pass and don’t want to go to the next round."
Tudor confirmed that Richarlison will get his first start under him, which could mean Dominic Solanke being saved for the trip to Liverpool on Sunday.
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The Croatian now has enough fit centre-backs to play his favoured back three properly with the right people in the right positions, with captain Cristian Romeroback in action after his four-game Premier League suspension.
Djed Spence is also back from injury and if fit enough he could take his place as left wing-back with Souza and Yves Bissouma not registered to play.
In the midfield, Tudor did not appear desperate to start Xavi or Conor Gallagher in the defeat to Crystal Palace and that could continue in Spain, despite the latter facing his former side. Archie Gray and Mathys Tel deserve to keep their places in the team after being among the few to come out of the midweek derby defeat with some credit.
If Tudor really wants to change things up, he might give goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky a first Champions League start beyond his previous qualifying round experience to see what the 22-year-old can do.
Here's the team we reckon Tudor might pick for the game in Spain:
(3-4-3) Kinsky; Danso, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Gray, Palhinha, Spence; Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Tel.
