Tottenham Hotspur will continue their pursuit of European glory as they host an out-of-form AZ Alkmaar in Thursday’s Europa League fixture. Ange Postecoglou’s men, one of the tournament favorites, are seeking to extend their perfect start in the competition, while AZ struggles to find form after a series of disappointing results.
Match Preview
Fresh off a 4-1 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League, Tottenham returned to form after a shocking loss to Brighton before the international break. Despite going down early, Spurs responded with an emphatic second-half display, scoring three goals in eight minutes to secure an important win at home. This victory lifted spirits after their loss to Brighton, where Spurs squandered multiple chances and dropped vital points.
While Tottenham sits four points off the Premier League’s top four, their Europa League campaign has been flawless. Despite being reduced to 10 men in their opening group-stage match against Qarabag, they cruised to a 3-0 win. They followed that up with another professional performance to defeat Ferencvaros in Budapest.
Tottenham’s form at home in European competitions is particularly strong. They remain unbeaten in their last 14 European games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with 12 wins. All six of their Europa League games at their new stadium have resulted in victories, without conceding a single goal.
AZ Alkmaar’s Struggles
For AZ Alkmaar, this trip to London comes at a difficult time. Maarten Martens’ side is currently enduring their worst run of form in 22 years, having lost four consecutive matches. Their Europa League campaign started positively with a win over Elfsborg, but since then, AZ has faltered, suffering defeats against Athletic Bilbao and PSV Eindhoven.
Losing back-to-back matches against lower-tier sides like Utrecht and Fortuna Sittard has only compounded AZ’s woes, causing them to drop to fifth in the Eredivisie standings. Now closer to the relegation zone than to the top of the table, AZ is desperately seeking a turnaround.
Historically, AZ has struggled in England, losing all eight previous European fixtures played there and conceding at least two goals in each. With five defeats in their last six European away games, AZ faces a significant challenge against Spurs, who are strong favorites.
Team News
Tottenham Hotspur:
Spurs will be without Wilson Odobert and Djed Spence, both of whom are sidelined with injuries. This means manager Ange Postecoglou may have to rotate his squad. Pedro Porro, who has played full 90 minutes in several consecutive matches, could be rested. Radu Dragusin is set to return after missing the Ferencvaros match due to suspension and may replace Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven in defense. Richarlison and Timo Werner are likely to feature in the starting lineup.
AZ Alkmaar:
AZ will be without key players including Ibrahim Sadiq, who returned from international duty with an injury, and long-term absentees Bruno Martins Indi, Mexx Merdink, and Wouter Goes. Striker Troy Parrott, who recently left Tottenham, will be eager to make an impact against his former club. AZ will also miss David Moller Wolfe in their weekend league fixture due to a red card, but he is available for the Europa League clash.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur:
Vicario; Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Moore, Richarlison, Werner
AZ Alkmaar:
Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Penetra, Dekker, Wolfe; Clasie, Mijnans, Koopmeiners; Buurmeester, Parrott, Van Bommel
Prediction
Given Tottenham’s excellent form in Europe and AZ Alkmaar’s current struggles, Spurs are expected to dominate this contest. With AZ’s poor record in England and Tottenham’s defensive stability at home, this match could easily end in a comfortable win for the hosts.
