Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for a crucial Europa League showdown against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, and the North London club has now received a major boost regarding the availability of one of their key defenders. As Ange Postecoglou’s men gear up for the first leg in the Netherlands this Thursday, reports suggest that Spurs could welcome back a vital player who has been sidelined for months.
Postecoglou has had to navigate a challenging period with multiple injuries disrupting his squad over the past few months. However, the situation has started to improve in recent weeks, with several first-team players returning to full fitness. Encouragingly for Spurs fans, even more reinforcements are expected to be available in the coming games, which could significantly strengthen the team’s chances in both domestic and European competitions.
Recent reports indicate that aside from Radu Dragusin, who is still working his way back to fitness, Tottenham will likely have a fully fit squad to choose from for the first leg against AZ Alkmaar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week. However, before that crucial home tie, Spurs will first travel to the Netherlands for Thursday’s encounter, where they could be bolstered by a long-awaited return in their defensive ranks.
Romero in Contention for Spurs Comeback
According to The Telegraph, Cristian Romero is progressing well in his recovery at Hotspur Way, and the Argentine center-back is now in contention to be part of the matchday squad for the away leg at AZ Alkmaar’s AFAS Stadion. The 25-year-old, who has been out of action for four months, has been gradually building up his fitness, and there is growing optimism that he could play a role in this pivotal fixture.
The report further suggests that, barring any setbacks, Romero could be back in action for Tottenham as early as this week, with the potential to feature in as many as four matches before linking up with Argentina for the upcoming international break. This news will undoubtedly be welcomed by Postecoglou and his staff, who have been cautious in reintegrating the club’s injured stars back into the fold.
Additionally, Spurs will reportedly maintain close communication with the Argentina national team over the coming weeks regarding Romero’s condition. Given his importance to both club and country, Tottenham’s medical staff will be keeping a close eye on his recovery and will provide regular updates to the Albiceleste setup, ensuring that any potential setbacks are carefully managed.
Will Postecoglou Risk Starting Romero Against AZ Alkmaar?
Despite Romero’s encouraging progress, it remains to be seen whether Postecoglou will immediately throw him back into the starting lineup for such a high-stakes game. The Australian manager has taken a cautious approach with injured players this season, particularly with defensive duo Romero and Micky van de Ven, who have both had their workloads carefully managed upon their returns.
In recent matches, Kevin Danso and Archie Gray have stepped up impressively in central defense, giving Postecoglou a reliable alternative at the back. Given their solid performances, the Spurs boss may opt to continue with the pair in Thursday’s clash against AZ Alkmaar, allowing Romero to ease back into action rather than taking an unnecessary risk with his fitness.
However, with an important Premier League fixture against Bournemouth coming up this Sunday, there is a possibility that Tottenham’s first-choice center-back pairing—Romero and van de Ven—could be gradually reintegrated then. This would allow both players to build up match fitness ahead of the return leg against AZ Alkmaar at home next week, where their presence could be crucial in securing progress to the next round.
For now, Spurs fans will be eagerly awaiting further updates on Romero’s fitness as the team embarks on an important run of fixtures across multiple competitions.
BIG NEWS – Tottenham recieves huge boost in scaling through Europa round of 16 vs Az Alkmaar as big name star makes inclusion in Ange Postecoglou team
