AZ manager Maarten Martens is well aware that Tottenham Hotspur will be fighting to salvage their season when the two teams clash on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa League.
The Dutch outfit secured a 1-0 victory over Spurs in Alkmaar, thanks to Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall inadvertently turning the ball into his own net. Although AZ had less possession, they created more significant opportunities, leaving Spurs fortunate to have narrowly avoided a heavier defeat.
This marks the second meeting between AZ and Tottenham this season, with the Premier League side taking the first encounter 1-0 during the group stages of the Europa League. The Lilywhites will need to replicate that performance to rejuvenate their campaign, as they currently sit in 13th place in the Premier League, trailing 13 points behind the European qualification spots.
“We understand their style of play; we’ve had the opportunity to face it twice already,” said AZ manager Maarten Martens in the pre-match press conference.
Tottenham demonstrated their ability to recover last Sunday, drawing 2-2 against Bournemouth after being 2-0 down in the 65th minute. “They have resilience. I expect they will exhibit that again against us,” Martens added.
Complete Concentration
Martens will be without Mayckel Lahdo and Denso Kasius for the trip to North London as both players are nursing injuries. Sven Mijnans and Ro-Zangelo Daal will also miss the match, and Jayden Addai is not yet fit enough to start.
On a positive note, striker Mexx Meerdink, who has netted seven goals this season—six of which came in the 74th minute or later—returns to the squad. “His presence off the bench can really lift the team,” Martens remarked.
AZ and Martens will have league leaders Ajax awaiting them this Sunday in the Eredivisie, but the manager remains focused solely on the task at hand. “You always need to keep the bigger picture in mind. Right now, this is the next game and it’s extremely important. Our full attention is on Tottenham.”
Tottenham Hotspur and AZ will kick off their second leg on Thursday evening at 21:00 CET.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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