Ruud Gullit wants to see Tottenham and Arsenal dumped out of Europa in March
Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit hopes AZ Alkmaar can surprise Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League Round of 16 stage and send Ange Postecoglou’s men packing from the competition.
It has been an extremely disappointing campaign so far for Spurs, but the club still have a chance of making it a memorable one if they go all the way in the Europa League and break their 17-year trophy drought.
One would think that Ange Postecoglou‘s long-term future at the club also depends on whether the Australian can take the club far in the competition.
Spurs may have been pleased with the draw they got, with Tottenham set to play AZ Alkmaar at the start of next month for a place in the final eight of the competition.
Ruud Gullit thinks Alkmaar could surprise Tottenham
Tottenham will travel to the Netherlands for the first leg on March 6 before welcoming Alkmaar to North London for the second leg a week later.
Gullit believes that the Eredivisie clubs no longer have any fear when they come up against elite sides in Europe, claiming that AZ and PSV Eindhoven could progress at the expense of Spurs and Arsenal in their respective European competitions.
The former Chelsea man told De Telegraaf (via Soccer News): “I am happy and proud at the same time that PSV, Feyenoord, Ajax, AZ and FC Twente will no longer let themselves be led to the slaughterhouse on the European stage without a fight.
“PSV and AZ could not please me more by shaking off Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. It would be the icing on the cake. And it is certainly not unthinkable.”
Ange Postecoglou will not be taking Alkmaar lightly
Now that we are into the round of 16 stage, no team is a complete walkover, and there is no doubt that Tottenham will have to bring their A-game to get past Alkmaar.
The Dutch club managed to do something Spurs could not earlier this season: draw against Galatasaray in Istanbul, which helped them emerge comfortable winners over the Turkish across two legs in the playoff round.
However, the fact that the second leg is at Tottenham gives the Lilywhites a big advantage, with the Premier League side undoubtedly going into the tie as favourites.
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