Introduction
The first leg in Alkmaar saw Tottenham succumb to a narrow defeat, courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Lucas Bergvall. This result has placed immense pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, whose promise of ending the club's 17-year trophy drought hangs in the balance. With domestic cup exits and a middling league position, the Europa League represents Spurs' last realistic chance for silverware this season.
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Spurs needed a late fightback to salvage a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth at home on Sunday, highlighting the defensive vulnerabilities that have plagued them all season. After committing men forward against one of the best counter attacking sides in the country, Kerkez and Tavernier linked up wonderfully to punish Tottenham. Trailing 2-0 early in the second half, Tottenham showed resilience to claw back a point, with Pape Sarr’s lucky cross finding the back of the net and Son Heung-min’s late equaliser. Their defensive fragility was evident once again, as they were fortunate not to be further behind before their comeback. Tottenham are now winless in three matches, and with the majority of their injury woes clearing up, Ange Postecoglou will be running out of excuses if this form continues.
Alkmaar went on a 6 game unbeaten run following their defeat to Ferencvaros in the final game of the Europa League league phase. They did however warm up for Tottenham by getting knocked out of the cup by Heracles on penalties, before losing 3-1 at a Heerenveen side they demolished 9-1 back in September. They had their Eredivisie tie postponed at the weekend to allow them to prepare for the trip to North London and this could prove invaluable after a stretched Tottenham performance against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Team News
Tottenham were dealt a significant blow with the injury to Dejan Kulusevski in the first leg, and he is sidelined with a foot problem for the next few weeks. Richarlison, who scored the only goal when the sides met in the league phase, is unlikely to return in time. Additionally, Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended for this match due to accumulated yellow cards. On a positive note, key players such as Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Dominic Solanke have returned to the match day squads over the last week and could feature in the squad. AZ Alkmaar have their own injury concerns, with Mayckel Lahdo and Denso Kasius both doubtful after sustaining injuries in the first leg. Influential duo Sven Mijnans and Ruben van Bommel are also sidelined, which could impact their attacking options. Meerdink is in contention to be included in the squad after his return to training.
Stats Watch:
- Home Comforts: Tottenham have scored in each of their last 29 Europa League home matches, a competition record.
- Dutch Discomfort: AZ Alkmaar have lost all nine of their previous trips to England in European competitions, the worst such 100% losing run any club has suffered in European football history.
- Defensive Concerns: Spurs have conceded in their last three home matches across all competitions, highlighting potential vulnerabilities at the back.
- Away Woes: AZ have not won any of their last 10 away games in European competitions, a statistic they'll need to overturn to progress.
With their Premier League campaign faltering, Tottenham must treat this as their biggest game of the season. Ange Postecoglou has spoken of the importance of European success, but his side will need a much-improved defensive display to avoid another disappointing exit.
AZ, on the other hand, have a real opportunity to make history. They held firm in the first leg, and if they can weather the early pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they could grow into the game and exploit Spurs’ vulnerabilities at the back.
For Tottenham, failure is not an option. The expectation is clear: win, and progress—anything less would represent another massive blow in an already difficult season. Expect a tense, high-energy contest under the North London lights.