James Maddison believes Tottenham are real contenders to win the Europa League and is hoping their victory over AZ Alkmaar can be the catalyst for Ange Postecoglou’s side to make it a “special season”.
Spurs overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg with a stirring 3-1 home victory over the Dutch side on Thursday to set up a quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt next month. Maddison was instrumental in the move that created Wilson Odobert’s winning goal, having earlier scored his 11th of the season to make it 2-0.
It meant Tottenham, who had not reached the last eight of the Europa League since 2013, have an opportunity to win a first trophy since 2008 and Maddison said they can go all the way. “It would be naive to say no. I could give you a cliche answer and say we’re focused on the next game, but it has to be there, there has to be that drive.
“The quarter-final is the next stage and we’ll focus on that, but the gaffer always talks about having a special season and this is one way we can have a special season. There are lots of good teams in it, but we’re a good team, so the belief is definitely there.”
Maddison was not called up by Thomas Tuchel for his first England squad but Dominic Solanke was included and he provided the assists for Odobert’s first Spurs goals. The Frenchman’s tie-clinching goal capped a flowing move when all but two Spurs players touched the ball and Maddison revealed they had been working on this kind of move.
“Credit to the gaffer and the coaches, we work on the overlaps and the winger being in at the back stick,” he said. “How many times have you see Brennan Johnson score that goal at the back stick and today it was Wilson.”
