Postecoglou Demands Tottenham Replicate Fighting Spirit in Europa League Tie

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has called on his team to replicate the fighting spirit they showed in their comeback against Bournemouth when they face AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has called on his team to replicate the fighting spirit they displayed in their comeback against Bournemouth when they face AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday. The Spurs are looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their last-16 tie.

It ends level. pic.twitter.com/leOU4WM1fe

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 9, 2025

Tottenham's match against Bournemouth on Sunday seemed to be heading in the wrong direction, with Marcus Tavernier giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at halftime. Despite the return of Cristian Romero from a three-month injury layoff, Tottenham's fortunes didn't improve, and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's advantage in the 65th minute.

However, Tottenham showed resilience and character to salvage a 2-2 draw. Pape Sarr's miscued cross fortuitously found the back of the net, giving Tottenham a lifeline. Son Heung-min then converted an 84th-minute penalty, which he had won himself, to level the score and ease the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou. The toxic atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium began to dissipate as the team's fighting spirit sparked a comeback.

Ange's post-match reaction 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/7RWMt8qzbP

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 9, 2025

With their Premier League campaign stagnating in lower mid-table, Tottenham Hotspur can now shift their focus to the crucial Europa League second-leg tie against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday. Manager Ange Postecoglou reflected on the chaotic nature of their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, stating, “Chaotic game, for sure. We added to the chaos and it was a little bit self-inflicted, especially in the first half. Just with the ball, we were really careless with our passing.”

Postecoglou praised his team's resilience in overcoming a 2-0 deficit, particularly in a hostile atmosphere. “At 2-0 down, it would have been very easy, particularly with the atmosphere as it was, for the boys to just let the game get away from us, but credit to them, they found a way to get back into the game and we got something out of it,” he said.

The Australian manager acknowledged that his team's struggles were largely due to their own mistakes, rather than being overly adventurous. “I don't think it was a case of being open because we were throwing men forward, we just kept giving the ball away. We certainly need to be better in the way that we execute that part of our game for Thursday,” Postecoglou emphasized.

With the Europa League tie looming, Postecoglou recognized the significance of his team's response to adversity. “You can imagine the noise around if the players didn't respond. Thursday is obviously a massive game for us,” he said. Despite the challenges ahead, Postecoglou drew encouragement from his team's comeback against Bournemouth. “At least from that perspective - and even for the players themselves - we've obviously got a challenge, but they overcame a fairly big challenge today and hopefully we show the same kind of mindset.”

Manager Ange Postecoglou's concerns were further compounded by Cristian Romero's social media post after the match, where the Argentine defender thanked the medical staff of Argentina and not Tottenham for their support during his injury layoff. This public expression of gratitude may have raised eyebrows, particularly given Romero's first appearance for the club since December.

The return of Micky van de Ven for his first league fixture in three months provided a much-needed boost to the team and the crowd. However, Postecoglou acknowledged that the nervous energy among the fans could translate to increased tension among his players in their upcoming Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar. “I can't sort of dictate to people how they sort of interact, but AZ's crowd certainly helped them on Thursday night and we need our crowd to get behind the boys,” Postecoglou said.

Postecoglou emphasized the importance of creating a positive atmosphere at the stadium, which could help alleviate the team's nervousness and anxiety. “To make it an atmosphere where maybe we lose some of that nervousness and anxiety within our game,” he explained. The manager also recognized that the team's performance would ultimately dictate the atmosphere, stating, “The reality is, we as a team have to respond irrespective of the atmosphere and one may follow the other. If we start the game strong, it'll get the place nice and loud, which will help us.”