Tottenham advanced to the last eight of the Europa League with a 3-1 home victory to knock out AZ Alkmaar 3-2 on aggregate in the second leg. After the game, Spurs midfielder James Maddison spoke to the media to share his thoughts on the game and the future of the team.
James Maddison was the first to confirm his team’s performance: “Qualifying for the last eight was the goal we set at the beginning of these two legs. There was a lot of talk after last week’s game and we were honest that last week’s performance wasn’t good enough. But I knew we could come out here stronger and we got the job done. But this is not the end for us, we are only in the quarter-finals, and bigger challenges are waiting for us.”
When it comes to the team’s performance in the game, James Maddison singled out the team’s defensive line and key players: “We’ve been talking about injuries and missing key players the last couple of months. But tonight, as I stood in the tunnel, I saw a team of true warriors. In particular, the presence of experienced, top-flight centre-line players such as van Deven and Romero has made the team’s defence a rock. Our overall performance today was very solid and we deserved our promotion.”
In addition, James Maddison also praised the performance of teammate Wilson – O ‘Dowbert: “Wilson – O ‘Dowbert was perfect tonight, he scored two goals, played a vital role in the victory. He was a threat and was a big part of tonight’s win. I must go and give him a big hug and praise the young man. His future will be brighter.”
Looking ahead, James Maddison said Spurs would remain humble and focused: “We know that just because we are in the last eight does not mean we can let our guard down. The next matches will be tougher and the opponents will be stronger. But we have the confidence and the strength to meet these challenges. We will continue to be humble and focused and strive for more glory for the team.”
James Maddison’s speech showed the unity and confidence of the Spurs players. It is believed that in the following games, they will continue to play an outstanding performance, bringing more wonderful games and wins for the fans.
