Football
Tottenham Vs AZ Alkmaar Preview, Prediction, Team News and Predicted Lineups
Kieran Lynch is a sports writer specialising in football and Formula One. He is a sports journalism graduate of Leeds Trinity University and completed a Press Association NCTJ course in Newcastle. He previously worked as a news reporter for the Eastern Daily Press in Norfolk and spent five years as a sports writer at the MailOnline.
Get to know Kieran Lynch betterPublished13 Mar 2025
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham will look to overcome a 1-0 deficit when they host AZ Alkmaar in the second-leg of the Europa League Round of 16 and you can find our preview, prediction, team news and confirmed lineups below.
Tottenham Vs AZ Alkmaar Preview
Tottenham will have to come from behind if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Lucas Bergvall’s comical own goal separated the sides when they met in the Netherlands last week.
The Europa League is Tottenham’s only chance of silverware this season and is likely to be the only way they can qualify for European football next season.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has come under increasing pressure this season with the club languishing in 13th in the league.
That pressure will only increase should Tottenham fail to advance to the next round of the Europa League.
Spurs can take confidence by the fact they Thursday’s opponents 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season.
They came from two goals down to earn a point against Bournemouth at the weekend but AZ Alkmaar had the weekend off meaning they have had a full week to prepare for the second-leg.
The Dutch side are full of confidence after winning seven out of their last nine in all competitions.
Tottenham Vs AZ Alkmaar Team News
Tottenham head into the game without Rodrigo Bentancur who is suspended following his yellow card in the first-leg.
Dejan Kulusevski is likely to miss the game with a foot injury in the latest injury blow for Spurs.
Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke and Richarlison are all 100% ruled out with injuries. Timo Werner, Antonin Kinsky, Fraser Forster and Sergio Reguilon will also miss out as they were not selected for Spurs’ Europa League side.
However, there is some positive news for Tottenham. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both made their first appearances in some months in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw over the weekend and could start.
AZ Alkmaar will miss Mayckel Ladho after he was forced off in the first-leg. His replacement in that game, Denso Kasius, also had to be withdrawn.
They Ruben van Bommbel, Sven Mijnans, Jayden Addai and Mexx Meerdink on the sidelines.
Predicted Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro; Van de Ven, Romero, Udogie; Bergvall, Gray, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son
AZ Alkmaar: Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, Moller Wolfe; Clasie, Koopmeiners; Poku, Buurmeester, Sadiq; Parrott
Tottenham Vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction
Tottenham are favourites with the UK’s best football betting sites to beat AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night.
Bar a nervy ending to their clash with Roma earlier in the competition, Tottenham have been strong at home in the Europa League.
AZ Alkmaar have lost in their nine previous trips to England and could regret not beating Tottenham by more goals in the first-leg when they had some good chances to kill the tie off.
With that being said we predict that Spurs will come from behind and reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 AZ Alkmaar