In addition to a shocking defeat, there was a clash with fans. Guglielmo Vicario (29, Tottenham Hotspur) was criticized after asking fans for more support.
Tottenham Hotspur recorded a 0-1 defeat against AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League (UEL) held at AZ Stadion in Alkmaar, Netherlands, on Nov. 7 at 2:45 a.m. (Korean time).
As a result, Tottenham finds itself in a situation where it must win in the second leg. For Tottenham, which shouted 'all in for UEL,' this is an unwanted outcome. If they are eliminated from the UEL, they will finish the season without any trophies.
Tottenham struggled under Alkmaar's pressure, delivering a terrible performance. Additionally, a self-inflicted goal from Lucas Beryval in the 18th minute compounded their misery. Troy Parrott, who is 'from Tottenham,' took a shot from a corner kick that deflected off Beryval's foot into the back of the net.
It was a disappointing performance, where losing by just one goal was a relief. Had it not been for Vicario's saves, conceding more goals would not have been surprising. Vicario made crucial saves against Parrott’s one-on-one attempt in the 31st minute and Ernest Poku's decisive shot in the 53rd minute, doing his part.
However, Tottenham's attack failed to breach Alkmaar's goal until the end. Son Heung-min, who played approximately 72 minutes alternating between left winger and center forward, was unable to make a difference. Matty Cash, who started, did nothing and was substituted just after 45 minutes.
Additionally, Dominic Solanke, who was substituted in the second half, fell to injury again in his return match, adding to the team's misfortunes. Ultimately, Tottenham ended the match with just one effective shot recorded in 90 minutes.
Having delivered a dreadful performance, tensions arose between the players and fans. The British newspaper 'Daily Mail' reported, "Vicario clashed with the supporters after showing poor form in the defeat to Alkmaar. He was seen protesting towards the fans."
According to reports, Vicario attempted to rally the traveling fans after the final whistle. Frowning, he raised both arms toward the stands, gesturing for more support.
However, the reaction of the fans who traveled to the Netherlands to witness the disappointing match was anything but kind. Frustrated by Tottenham's poor performance throughout the season, the fans expressed their anger. Subsequently, Vicario was also reported to have left the stadium frustrated.
Criticism of Vicario also emerged on social media. One fan pointed out, "He made sinister remarks toward the supporters," while another fan shook their head, saying, "I can't believe Vicario thought it was a good idea to yell at us when the final whistle blew. "Vicario told us to support the team. 'XX get lost' was a profanity-laden response.
The anger of Tottenham fans is fully understandable. The team's struggles are not a new issue. They are languishing in 13th place in the Premier League (PL) and have already been eliminated from the League Cup and FA Cup. Now they are at risk of being eliminated from the UEL in the round of 16, the last remaining hope. If Tottenham fails to win the UEL, they will fail to escape their 17-year trophy drought.
Naturally, for fans who have long supported Tottenham, the sense of frustration is immense. This is the reason why fans are angry at Vicario. No matter how well Vicario performed individually, given the overall poor performance of the team, he should have felt apologetic rather than demand support from the fans.
In fact, captain Son Heung-min bowed to the fans. He stated, "We did not even come close to the level of performance we should have shown. It was very disappointing, including for me. Next week, we have the biggest game of this season, so this raises great awareness." He added, "I really think there was a lack of great caution. We created nothing in the first half and were sloppy. We failed to do what we had to do."
Son Heung-min chose to apologize and reflect instead of making excuses. He emphasized, "Everyone is very disappointed with both the individual and team performances. We must reflect on ourselves. There is no room for excuses; we did not perform well enough. It’s just a 0-1 loss, and it’s not over yet. We must do much better next week."
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (no unauthorized reproduction and redistribution), TNT Sports.
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