Victory not enough for Spurs as they lose on aggregate to Atletico
Tottenham Hotspur's traumatic season can be summed up to perfection by the fact that even when they actually win, it still ends in defeat.
It is also symbolic that a coveted prize of a place in the Champions League after last season's Europa League success has ended up as a distraction from the grim business of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
Spurs built on their deserved draw at Liverpool on Sunday to deliver another excellent display in beating Atletico Madrid in their last-16 second-leg tie, but it was not enough to turn around the calamitous 5-2 loss in the Spanish capital.
Amid the disappointment there was that encouragement - and the knowledge Spurs can now put the Champions League aside and concentrate on what truly matters this season.
