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Xavi Simons has received recognition following Tottenham’s clash with Atletico Madrid, with the midfielder earning a place among Europe’s standout performers this week.
It was a valiant effort from Tottenham Hotspur in their match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
Spurs secured victory on the night, beating the Spanish outfit 3-2, but were unable to progress to the next round as Atleti won the tie 7-5 on aggregate.
For Tottenham to have managed a win against Diego Simeone’s men, there had to be standout performers, and one has now received recognition from UEFA.
Tottenham’s Xavi Simons named in UEFA Champions League team of the week
Among several impressive displays was that of Xavi Simons, with the Dutchman acting as both creator and goalscorer.
Simons looked to make things happen whenever he got on the ball, and his efforts were rewarded as he scored a brace.
His first goal came from a sensational strike from outside the Atletico Madrid box, before he added his second from the spot after winning the penalty himself.
The midfielder has now been named in UEFA’s team of the week for the round-of-16 second leg, joining other standout performers including Raphinha of Barcelona, Vinicius Junior and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Simons performance underlines growing importance
Simons was not only included in the team of the week but was also named player of the match for the second leg between Tottenham and Atletico Madrid.
It is no surprise, given that Simons posted 20 impressive underlying metrics that underline how much of an impact he had on Wednesday’s game. FotMob also gave him a 9.5/10 rating for his performance.
The former RB Leipzig man looks to be hitting form at the right time for Tottenham, who will need their players firing on all cylinders in their fight to stay in the Premier League.
- READ MORE: Archie Gray was so good for Tottenham that Atletico Madrid star had to run to shake his hand
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