Postecoglou Says Europa League A ‘Great Opportunity’ For Spurs

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Key players are set to return for Thursday’s last-16 first-leg tie against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, according to Ange Postecoglou, who says the Europa League offers Tottenham Hotspur a “great opportunity” to resurrect a struggling campaign.

A Spurs team is currently 13th in the Premier League table after missing out on Dominic Solanke, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero due to their lengthy absences. The north London club has also been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions.

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Tottenham, who last won the European Championship with their 1984 triumph in the UEFA Cup, the league’s precursor, have yet to win a significant trophy since lifting the 2008 League Cup.

On November 23, 2024, Tottenham Hotspur’s English midfielder #10 James Maddison (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring their team’s second goal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, North-West England. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP) /

Spurs, the first English club to capture significant continental silverware with victory in the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, are now looking to the continent to keep manager Postecoglou’s record of second-season success established at the Australian’s former teams.

Yes, I think it’s fair to say that the boys are fully aware of the value of our opportunity,” Postecoglou said during a press conference prior to the game on Wednesday.

We obviously want to do well in this competition. We are in a good position, really. The first obstacle to overcome is that we are in the round of 16 and have two difficult games against AZ.

On February 26, 2025, during the English Premier League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Italy’s #01 Guglielmo Vicario (C) waits for a decision from Referee Jarred Gillett. Adrian Dennis (Photo by AFP) /

The club hasn’t done well in this competition in recent years, but it’s a major European competition, and for us there’s an opportunity there and we’ll see how far we can go in it.

With us tomorrow night, we must ensure that whatever occurs at the conclusion of the match has a chance to return to Tottenham and win the tie.