Spurs on the brink of missing out of 3 wins out of 3 as Tottenham player with just 34 minutes under his belt now set to start v AZ tonight
Tottenham Hotspur are aiming to secure their third consecutive victory in the Europa League as they prepare to face AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night. While their Premier League form has been inconsistent, Spurs have thrived in European competition, displaying an impressive streak of performances.
Their Europa League campaign began with a commanding 3-0 victory over Qarabag, followed by a hard-fought 2-1 win against Ferencvaros. Now, with two strong results behind them, Tottenham are full of confidence heading into the clash with AZ, especially after their dominant 4-1 win against West Ham over the weekend, which served as a morale booster.
In his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou shared some encouraging updates regarding his squad’s injury situation. According to GiveMeSport, Postecoglou is expected to make a key selection decision by handing a start to Brazilian forward Richarlison, who has played only 34 minutes this season. The Spurs boss confirmed that the player is fully fit and “ready to go” when asked about his potential role in the upcoming match.
Speaking to football.london, Postecoglou provided more details on Richarlison’s readiness, saying, “Yeah, yeah. Richy got through the weekend really well, he’s trained, this is almost the second week of training now, so he’s ready to go in terms of being available, for sure.” Richarlison, who came off the bench during Tottenham’s weekend victory over West Ham, is reportedly set to start against AZ as Spurs look to bolster their attacking options.
The decision to start Richarlison is part of a broader effort to maintain his fitness and help him regain form, which would also place additional competition on Dominic Solanke for a spot in the starting lineup. GiveMeSport suggests that Spurs view this as an important step for Richarlison, not just to aid the team’s current campaign but also with an eye on the future. Tottenham reportedly aim to restore his market value, potentially preparing for a future transfer where the Brazilian could be offloaded for a significant fee if the club decides to cash in at the end of the season.
Richarlison’s journey this season has been marked by limited game time, with just 34 minutes under his belt across three appearances—against Everton, Leicester, and West Ham. The 27-year-old also faced a challenging end to last season due to injuries, which affected his ability to secure a regular starting role. Earlier in the 2023/24 season, he underwent groin surgery, but since returning, he has shown signs of hitting his stride.
In his recent comments, Postecoglou highlighted Richarlison’s physical transformation, praising the player’s hard work and determination. The Brazilian has not only fully recovered from his injury but has also significantly improved his fitness. “We’ve taken our time with him but it hasn’t been just about him recuperating and recovering from the injury,” Postecoglou said in an interview with football.london. “We’ve tried to use it to build his fitness base up so when he comes back, he’s in peak condition.”
Postecoglou went on to emphasize Richarlison’s commitment during his recovery, noting that the forward has slimmed down and is in excellent shape. “He’s worked awfully hard. He has trimmed down, he looks really lean now and has worked really hard. We’ve tried to use it almost as a pre-season for him on an individual basis to not just get him to recover from his injury. He probably recovered from his injury a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve used the last couple of weeks to get his fitness base up and him into good physical condition so we don’t have to keep going through this cycle of him coming back and breaking down.”
Richarlison’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed by the coaching staff, and his recent training sessions have impressed Postecoglou. “He’s had a good week of training and he has missed playing,” the manager added, expressing his excitement to have the Brazilian available for the AZ match.
The upcoming Europa League tie presents a crucial opportunity for Richarlison to stake his claim for a more prominent role in Tottenham’s attack. As Spurs navigate their European and domestic campaigns, the Brazilian’s fitness and form could be key to unlocking more consistency in their performances. Should Richarlison find his rhythm, he could prove vital not only in Spurs’ quest for Europa League success but also in reigniting their Premier League campaign.
With Postecoglou confident in Richarlison’s readiness, all eyes will be on his performance against AZ, as Tottenham looks to continue their winning streak and make their mark in European competition.