Isn't it more of an enemy than a fan?

Tottenham Hotspur faced AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the 2024-2025 season UEFA Europa League on the 7th at 2:45 a.m. (Korean time) at the AZ Stadion in Alkmaar, Netherlands, and was defeated 0-1 after a poor performance. As a result, Tottenham finds itself in a situation where it must win the second leg, entering the difficult match after this poor showing away.

Tottenham lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. Son Heung-min, Mathis Tel, and Brennan Johnson were positioned at the front, while James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Lucas Berival formed the midfield. Destiny Udoji, Kevin Danso, Archie Gray, and Jed Spence made up the back four, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.

AZ Alkmaar also deployed a 4-3-3 formation. Lado, Troy Parrott, and Ernest Pokue formed the attacking trio, while Peer Koopmeiners, Zico Burmister, and Jordi Claasi handled the midfield. David Møller Olufsen, Alexandr Penetra, Wouter Hoos, and Maikuma Seiya composed the back four, with goalkeeper Rom Jaden Ousou-Odoro in goal.

Tottenham created a scary moment in the 6th minute. Berival kicked Lado's ankle instead of the ball. Fortunately, he avoided a red card. AZ Alkmaar pressed for the first goal. In a counterattack in the 10th minute, Pokue seized the ball on the left flank and took a shot with his left foot, narrowly missing the goal.

AZ Alkmaar scored the opening goal. In the 18th minute, during a corner kick situation, Parrott's shot was blocked by Berival, but it bounced high and headed into the goal. It was recorded as an own goal by Berival.

Tottenham faced another crisis. In the 31st minute, a sharp pass found Parrott, who created a one-on-one chance immediately. Parrott aimed for Vicario's legs, but Vicario made a crucial save.

In the 34th minute, Tottenham created an opportunity. They earned a free kick from a good position in front of the box, and Maddison passed to Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min mishandled the ball, and the opportunity was wasted.

Tottenham also eyed opportunities. In the 39th minute, Johnson received the ball through a switch and took a left-footed shot, but it again did not hit the target.

Tottenham overcame another crisis. In the 42nd minute, when the ball was played into the box, the AZ Alkmaar attackers tangled with the Tottenham defenders. AZ attempted several shots right in front of the goal, but Tottenham blocked them with their tough defense, with Berival's defense being pivotal.

Two minutes of stoppage time were added. The first half concluded with Tottenham trailing by one goal. Despite recording 60% possession in the first half, they were outshot 4-7 and failed to record any shots on target.

At the start of the second half, Tottenham made a substitution. Tel was withdrawn, and Wilson Odover was brought on.

Tottenham faced another crisis. In the 53rd minute, Pokue received a clear chance inside the box but fired a low, quick shot, which Vicario barely managed to save.

In the 68th minute, Tottenham earned a free kick in a good position, but the defense cleared it, nullifying the opportunity.

Tottenham used another substitution card. In the 72nd minute, Son Heung-min and Maddison were taken off for Dominic Solanke and Pape Sarr. After making changes to the attack, Tottenham struggled to find their rhythm.

In the 88th minute, Tottenham hit the ground again. Odover received the ball on the right flank, took a shot with his right foot while facing a defender, but goalkeeper Ousou-Odoro saved it.

Three minutes of stoppage time were assigned. Tottenham faced another setback. Solanke, who returned from injury through this match, collapsed again in a contest for the ball.

Just before the end of the match, Odover attempted a good header but sent it over the crossbar. Failing to create any other significant chances, Tottenham ultimately lost 0-1.

After the match, away Tottenham fans jeered the players for their poor performance. In response, vice-captain goalkeeper Vicario faced off against the away fans. After the game, he raised his arms towards the Tottenham fans, requesting support instead of jeers.

However, local Tottenham fans also jeered Vicario. As the fans booed, Vicario shook his head while leaving the stadium. Tottenham fans expressed their discontent on social media, stating things like "It's garbage behavior" and "Booing is our right."

One fan commented on Vicario's actions, saying, "We spend money to support Tottenham every time. But you only care about your own feelings and don't care about us. Vicario, you earn a huge salary while only complaining to us."

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