Tottenham receive major Champions League boost after Conor Gallagher confirmation

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Tottenham have received a boost ahead of their Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid

Conor Gallagher is eligible to face his former side Atletico Madrid in the Champions League(Image: Getty Images)

Everything you need to know about whether Conor Gallagher can face his former club Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16

1. Tottenham Hotspur will travel to the Spanish capital to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. This highly anticipated Round of 16 first-leg tie marks the return of European football following the end of the league phase format.
2. Conor Gallagher is fully eligible to play in the fixture despite having already represented Atletico in the Champions League earlier this season. While UEFA once had 'cup-tied' restrictions, current rules allow a player to represent two different clubs in the same European campaign.
3. The England international was officially added to Tottenham's 25-man List A squad at the start of February following the winter transfer window. He was one of three changes allowed for the knockout stages, taking a spot vacated by the injured pair Ben Davies and Rodrigo Bentancur, as well as the departed Brennan Johnson.
4. Gallagher missed the final two games of the Champions League league phase because he was not registered in time for those fixtures. He joined Spurs in late January after the mid-season registration deadline for the initial phase had already passed.
5. His absence from the squad in the two previous fixtures against Dortmund and Frankfurt was purely due to these administrative deadlines rather than any injury or disciplinary issues. Now that the knockout stage registration window has opened and closed, his eligibility is officially confirmed by UEFA.
6. Spurs were able to include him in the squad by removing Johnson, who left the club for Crystal Palace during the January window. This ensured Spurs remained within the limit of three squad changes for the remainder of the competition.
7. The registration of Gallagher, along with Mathys Tel and Radu Dragusin, means several other fit players have been left out of the Champions League squad. Recent signing Souza and midfielder Yves Bissouma are among those who will miss out due to the limit on non-homegrown players.
8. Spurs will also be without injured stars such as Wilson Odobert, who is sidelined with a long-term ACL injury after being registered for the knockout stages. Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison also remain unregistered for this stage of the competition as they continue their respective recoveries.