Tottenham Faces Must-Win Clash Against AZ Alkmaar in Europa League

LONDON, England — Tottenham Hotspur will host AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in a critical second leg match of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16. With their season hanging in the balance, Spurs are under pressure to secure a victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Manager Ange Postecoglou’s side has struggled throughout the season and currently sits 13th in the Premier League. With a single goal deficit from the first leg, Tottenham must find a way to turn the tables against a resilient Alkmaar team.

Tottenham’s performance in the first leg was disappointing, capped by an own goal from Lucas Bergvall in a match where they managed only one shot on target and controlled only 39 percent of possession. Despite this, Tottenham enters the home fixture as favorites, bolstered by one of their healthiest squads in recent memory.

“We know their style of play, we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing it twice already,” AZ manager Maarten Martens said in a pre-match press conference. “They have resilience. They will show that again against us.”

Spurs’ biggest challenge will be generating offense, a task made more difficult without Dejan Kulusevski, who remains sidelined due to injury. However, key players like Dominic Solanke and James Maddison will need to step up, along with Heung-Min Son, who has shown flashes of his form in recent matches.

“We can’t make excuses,” Postecoglou stated. “We have the talent needed to turn this tie around, but we must execute on the pitch.”

The match will kick off at 8:00 PM GMT, with coverage available on TNT Sports 3 in the UK and Paramount+ in the USA. Fans can also follow live updates through various platforms, including Standard Sport’s live blog.

Historically, Tottenham has dominated AZ, winning their previous match 1-0 during the group stage earlier this season. However, with both teams aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the outcome is far from guaranteed.

<p“Tottenham needs to overturn a one-goal deficit,” added Martens. “We’ll be ready for the challenge.”

If Spurs are able to secure a win, they could regain momentum in a season riddled with setbacks. Failing to do so, however, may spell the end of Postecoglou’s tenure and raise questions about the team’s direction moving forward.