And with that, Thursday comes to a close.

Lots covered today so make sure you check in with our summary points at the top of the page for anything you've missed.

If you want to stick with us for more live text coverage, we'll be bringing you updates from every Europa League and Conference League fixture from 16:30 GMT. You can access that page here.

It's Friday tomorrow and you know what that means too - a day of news conference madness. We have 16 (SIXTEEN) Premier League news conferences to bring you.

Rest up in preparation for those, we certainly will be.

See you in the morning!

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was asked if he could give his opinion on why Manchester City had suffered such a slump in form this season.

His response?

"No."

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was asked whether he believed Alisson Becker was the best goalkeeper in the world: "Alisson was amazing [against PSG]. I don't want to say that, for me it's Matz Sels.

On what has helped Sels take his game to another level this season: "His confidence. The help of the team. I think there has been a big improvement in our defensive shape and that reflects on all the team, especially Matz. That reflects on his confidence and he is always there to give us a hand when we need it."

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo on team news: "We are still recovering [from Monday's penalty shoot-out victory over Ipswich]. We have recovered better because because it was a good day but we are still recovering and assessing players."

Before we bid you farewell, Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has spoken to the media today ahead of Saturday's meeting with Manchester City.

We will bring you some of his pre-match comments next...

Chelsea

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea have only won two of their last six matches in all competitions.

Prior to the 4-0 victory over Premier League's bottom club Southampton on 25 February, the Blues had lost three games in a row - their worst run of the season so far.

The clean-sheet they kept in that victory over the Saints was also only the second they have kept in 2025 - the other coming against League Two side Morecambe in the FA Cup back in early January.

Chelsea

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking about Cole Palmer's availability for this evening's game:

"If he is in the squad, he can play minutes, no doubt. Cole is always happy to play games, even training sessions.

"In terms of numbers, I'm happy with the way Cole is, even in the last game or Aston Villa away.

"He's not always going to score, it's normal."

"They [Copenhagen] are a very, very good team," he added. "They are doing great in their [domestic] league and also in the Conference League.

"They have a very good manager and a very good team; they play nice football, so it will be a good game."

Chelsea

"I think in December it looked like we were the best players and the best team in the league. Now it looks like we are not the worst but one of the worst teams," explained Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

"In football this can happen. We are young, we have a new manager, new ideas - just for six months - and we know the expectations are really high.

"We play good football. Sometimes we can improve these last results but, in general, we are doing good.

"Now we need to do the last effort, with the last part of the season. It is a good moment to show we are ready to fight for big things."

Chelsea

Cole Palmer, Trevoh Chalobah and January recruit Mathis Amougou all come into the Conference League squad. Benoit Badiashile has also travelled.

Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Robert Sanchez will start in goal for this match.

Also tonight, the first legs of all eight round of 16 ties in the Conference League will take place.

Chelsea are in the Danish captial of Copenhagen. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos, Fiorentina and Real Betis are also among the sides in action.

• Panathinaikos v Fiorentina (17:45)
• Real Betis v Vitoria (17:45)
• Molde v Legia Warsaw (17:45)
• Copenhagen v Chelsea (17:45)
• Jagiellonia Bialystok v Cercle Brugge (20:00)
• Pafos v Djurgarden (20:00)
• Borac v Rapid Wien (20:00)
• Celje v Lugano (20:00)

Manchester United are in San Sebastian this afternoon ahead of tonight's Europa League round of 16 first leg against Real Sociedad.

BBC Radio 5 Live's Conor McNamara is in Spain to cover the match and ahead of kick-off, has been sampling some of the local sites.

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur and AZ Alkmaar have already met each other during the league phase of this year's Europa League.

Spurs got the better of that one at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Richarlison scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot early in the first half before the Eredivisie side were reduced to 10 men late on.

That remains the only time the two have faced off in competitive action - until tonight...

All set for early European action? What will you be watching and give us your predictions. Some big games this evening...

Image source, Getty Images

AZ Alkmaar, like Tottenham, are in indifferent form going into this evening's game.

Like Spurs, they have also won four of their last seven in regulation - excluded in that is a penalty shootout victory over Heracles on 27 February.

They go into this game off the back of a 3-1 defeat in the Eredivisie to Heerenveen, though their last result in the Europa League was an impressive 6-3 aggregate victory over Turkish side Galatasaray.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski has posted a picture of himself holding a baby on his Instagram.

But the post also shows him to have a protective boot on his left foot, amid reports that he will have a scan over a fresh injury concern.

Manager Ange Postecoglou will no doubt be pleased if his star man is happy off the field but it will also be a concern if he is out for any longer period of time.

Especially as the Europa League restarts on Thursday with a trip to face AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. The competition is effectively Spurs's last chance of winning silverware while also offering a route Champions League qualification for any team that wins it.

Image source, Dejan Kulusevski/Instagram

Image source, Getty Images

In Tottenham's last seven matches in all competitions, they have picked up four victories.

The Europa League has been the competition where Spurs have found the most consistency this season, with five wins, two draws and one defeat from their eight league stage matches.

They currently sit 13th in the Premier League table, but had won three league matches in a row prior to last month's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City.

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham will be without Dejan Kulusevski when they face AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday (17:45 GMT), but manager Ange Postecoglou could have three first-team players available again after their respective injury problems.

Centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, as well as striker Dominic Solanke, have travelled to the Netherlands and will train with the squad on Wednesday before a decision is made on for how long the trio will feature.

"All three have been training with us and training well," Postecoglou told club media. "I'll decide whether they get significant match minutes or not, but it's great to have them back.

"They feel good. They've been pretty frustrated not being able to help, but they're in a position where they can.

"In the last few weeks we've had [Guglielmo] Vicario, Destiny [Udogie], Wilson [Odobert] and [James] Maddison all come back and you've seen the impact they've had. I'm sure the guys coming back now will have equally as important an impact."

Image source, Getty Images

AZ Alkmaar forward Troy Parrott says he has no regrets about his time with former club Tottenham as he prepares to face them in the Europa League last 16.

The 23-year-old had his pick of the top clubs as a 15-year-old with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all interested.

He decided his future was with Spurs, but it didn't work out for the Republic of Ireland international and he made just four senior appearances before being sent out on loan spells in the second and third tiers of English football.

In 2023, he sought a new challenge in the Dutch first division.

"For me it just didn't happen [with Spurs]. I'm OK with that," Parrott said.

"I look back with a smile. It's a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young, so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that.

"It helped me become the person and player I am now, so I can only look back on that with good memories."

Ipswich Town

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna on the availability Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta following the head injury he sustained during last weekend's FA Cup victory over Millwall: "I don't know if that has been 100% confirmed about whether he is available or not available. Obviously he is a very important player for Crystal Palace, who is having a fantastic season and of course scored the winning goal for them at Portland Road.

"It would be foolish to say that he is their only threat when they also have Eze and Saar as well, in the form they are in. We know we are facing a strong side no matter if Mateta plays or not, and need to prepare for that."

Before we continue our build-up with a preview of Tottenham's game against AZ, we have another line from Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna's news conference, before Saturday's game at Crystal Palace...