Europa League Round of 16 draw: Tottenham find out RO16 opponents & potential quarter-final match-up | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur battled to finish in one of the automatic qualification places in the Europa League, earning a favourable draw in the knockout games.

The North Londoners have been drawn to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the round of 16. Spurs will travel to face AZ in the Netherlands on March 6 in the first leg before they play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later.

It is a repeat of matchday 3 for Tottenham. They had beaten AZ during the group phase with a Richarlison penalty proving the difference in North London.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou fielded a second-string XI, and they still managed to get a win over the line. They hope for a repeat performance for the next two games.

This is a must-win tie for Tottenham. Postecoglou made bold claims about winning silverware in his second season, and with Spurs already out of domestic cup competitions, the Europa League remains his only realistic shot at a trophy.

A deep run could define his tenure and prove that his high-intensity style can deliver more than just entertaining football.

AZ Alkmaar will be no pushovers, but Tottenham have already shown they can edge past them. With key players returning from injury and the chance to play the second leg at home, the pressure is on Spurs to make their quality count.

Anything less than progression would be a major disappointment for Spurs, and failure to seize this opportunity could raise questions about whether Postecoglou’s project is truly heading towards silverware.

Interestingly, Spurs will be at home for the first leg of a potential quarter-final, where they could meet another Dutch club – Ajax.

With a potential clash against Ajax looming in the quarter-finals, Spurs cannot afford to slip up – this is their moment to prove they belong among Europe’s elite.