The UEFA Europa League (UEL) represents Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou’s final chance to fulfil his commitment to securing silverware in the second season. Therefore, he might be forgiven for experiencing some apprehension as his team returned home with a 1-0 deficit from AZ Alkmaar last week. As a result, Spurs must win on their home turf to advance to their first quarter-final in any UEFA competition since 2018/19.
Tottenham holds the UEL record for scoring in 29 consecutive home games and has also scored nine goals in their four home league phase matches this season. The possibility of turning around the deficit may hinge on their defensive performance. However, there are concerns as Spurs have managed to keep only one clean sheet in their last seven matches at any location across all competitions (W2, D1, L4).
History favours AZ in this situation, yet the remarkable performance they displayed in the initial encounter cannot be denied. However, head coach Maarten Martens expressed dissatisfaction over his team’s failure to secure a more substantial victory margin. Their recent track record boasts seven victories in the last nine matches across all competitions (with one draw and one loss), a streak that remained unblemished even after being granted a weekend break by the Dutch FA.
This positive momentum is crucial for AZ to overcome their abysmal historical away record when facing English teams. AZ holds the unwanted title of having the worst 100% losing away record in European football against English opponents, having succumbed to defeats against eight different English teams, including Tottenham in the league phase. This streak also includes a ten-game winless run in away matches in continental football since March 2023 (with two draws and eight losses).
Highlighted players: Tottenham’s Archie Gray has the potential to be the inaugural adolescent to commence ten matches in a sole UEL season. Despite consistently being deployed in a defensive role, he maintains an impressive average Flashscore rating of 7.0 throughout the season. On the other hand, AZ’s standout performer in the initial leg was right-back Seiya Maikuma, who, in their recent two UEL away fixtures, managed to register either a goal or an assist.
Key statistic: AZ has only secured two clean sheets in their past 15 away matches spanning various competitions.
