James Maddison has expressed his confidence that Tottenham can enjoy a "special season" after their Europa League triumph on Thursday night propelled them into the quarter-finals. Despite recent struggles, including a disappointing 1-0 loss to AZ Alkmaar last week and an injury-ravaged winter that saw Spurs plummet to 13th in the Premier League standings, the team bounced back with a commanding second-leg performance. A double from Wilson Odobert and Maddison's own contribution secured a 3-1 victory, keeping their European dreams alive.
With key players like Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, and Micky van de Ven returning to fitness, Tottenham are now setting sights on the final in Bilbao, having lined up a clash with Eintracht Frankfurt in the last eight. Maddison, when questioned about Tottenham's chances of lifting the Europa League trophy, said: "Of course. It would be naive to say no and 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 listen, we're a good team so the belief is definitely there."
Tottenham's encounter with AZ began positively, and the breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Odobert beautifully converted Dominic Solanke's pass, marking his first goal for the club.
James Maddison's second-half strike, his 11th of the season, doubled the lead for Spurs before a tactical switch saw Van de Ven subbed off in the 61st minute, allowing Peer Koopmeiners to claw one back and level the aggregate score.
However, Maddison's brilliance shone through as he initiated a stunning play from deep, linking up with Djed Spence and Son Heung-min to assist Odobert's decisive goal at the far post, securing Tottenham's progression.
Reflecting on the team's performance, Maddison shared with SpursPlay: "We've worked on that this week. Beautiful overlap from Djed. Credit to the gaffer and the coaches, we work on the overlaps and the winger being in at the back stick.
"How many times have you seen Brennan Johnson score that goal at the back stick and (this time) it was Wilson. It's something we work on and I think they'll be pleased with that."
The inclusion of both Van de Ven and Romero from the start, a pairing not seen since December 8, significantly bolstered Tottenham's lineup.
Van de Ven, who has been battling hamstring problems since October and faced setbacks after an attempted return in January, disclosed the strategic decision-making behind his recovery process.
The Dutchman said: "It was not a new injury but it was just little problems that came up. It is really good to be back and I am feeling really, really good now."