Image source, Getty Images

Micky van de Ven spent time in the AZ Alkmaar academy before reaching the Premier League via another Dutch club, Volendam, and German club Wolfsburg.

However despite the link to his formative years, the 23-year-old Dutch international says the fixture does not carry any special significance for him personally.

"Maybe me playing against AZ is more special for the people around me, not so much for me. Of course, I have friends who support AZ. For me, it's like playing against each other team," he said.

Van de Ven does still hold a sweet spot for the city, which is where his dad Marcel still lives - including one restaurant in particular which is owned by a friend of his dad.

"I don't think I will get a discount [at the restaurant] if I play well because then probably we will beat them," Van de Ven said.

For The New Saints head coach Craig Harrison, it has been some journey. One he had not meant - or even wanted - to take.

“I honestly couldn’t have thought of anything worse than being a manager or a coach at a football club,” Harrison, 46, admits.

“Me and football had parted ways permanently as far as I was concerned. I didn’t want anything to do with the game.”

The former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender was forced into early retirement at the age of 24 following a horrific leg injury.

Now, Harrison is preparing to be in the dugout for his side's first ever home match in the Europa Conference League.

Read more about his remarkable football journey here.

Image source, Getty Images

Philippe Clement is urging fans to keep faith with him and says he is "200% confident" Rangers are on the right track.

The Ibrox side lost at Kilmarnock on Sunday, leaving them six points behind leaders Celtic and Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

Belgian Clement, whose side host FCSB of Romania in the Europa League on Thursday, had guided his team to the top of the table in late February.

However, five domestic defeats contributed to missing out on the Premiership title and Scottish Cup to Celtic, while four losses this campaign have hindered their domestic and European ambitions.

"The fans will see that we’ll be better," Clement said. "The people who’re unhappy now, I understand but I’m working even harder than I was before."

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter in Istanbul

Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez is named Manchester United's captain this evening.

It is a show of faith by Erik ten Hag given there are more long-standing United players in his team, not least Victor Lindelof, who makes his first start since March.

UEFA's team formation has Noussair Mazraoui as a number 10 but there are other options for Ten Hag.

Mazraoui could play right wing back and Diogo Dalot on the left. Or Dalot could play in midfield with Christian Eriksen further forward.

Rene Meulensteen
Former Manchester United coach on BBC Radio 5 Live

It gives a special colour to this game between Erik ten Hag and Jose Mourinho.

Everyone is looking forward to it, but playing in Turkey is never easy.

Like Erik ten Hag said, he likes his players rising to the challenge.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter in Istanbul

You could see the glint in Jose Mourinho's eyes yesterday when he walked into the press room at Fenerbahce's training ground and spotted some familiar faces amongst the travelling media contingent.

Mourinho knew instantly whatever he said would make huge headlines and he didn't waste the opportunity, mentioning Manchester City's ongoing disciplinary case with the Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson being stripped of his ambassadorial role by Manchester United at the end of the season and comparing the treatment he felt he received at Old Trafford with that of Erik ten Hag.

Mourinho's managerial abilities are open to debate these days but in the modern game he is unmatched at capturing attention.

Paul Robinson
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

There's going to be huge pressure on Erik ten Hag. We keep hearing the same messages from him every week - the plan, the process and sticking with the method. What is it?

It's the same system every week with different players.

His game plan when they were losing against FC Porto was to bring on Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire. We all looked at it and thought, why is he doing that.

In hindsight, Maguire scored the equaliser, but that wasn't his masterplan. It's a fine line between genius and insanity, isn't it?

This year marks 20 years since Wayne Rooney's debut hat-trick against tonight's opponents in the Champions League.

Today, incidentally, the Plymouth Argyle manager is celebrating his 39th birthday.

The Red Devils won 6-2 that September night in 2004 with Rooney just 18 years old.

As a result of the win, United went top of Champions League Group D.

Asked if he had ever seen such a fine debut, then manager Sir Alex Ferguson said at the time: "I don't suppose so. It is a great start for him."

How Reds fans would be wishing for a similar scoreline this evening.

Image source, Getty Images

27 May 2016: Manchester United appoint Jose Mourinho as boss on a three-year contract.

"I want to focus on the history of this giant club and give what I have and what I don't have, so I will give absolutely everything to try and go in the direction we all want," the Portuguese tells BBC Sport.

18 December 2018: Mourinho is sacked by United.

Image source, Getty Images

Micky van de Ven says Tottenham are determined to end their trophy drought and achieve "beautiful things".

Spurs are up against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in their latest Europa League fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening, aiming to make it three wins from three in the competition.

Tottenham, as their fans will not need reminding, are seeking a first piece of silverware since 2008.

"Of course we want to win a trophy," defender Van de Ven, 23, said.

"That is something we all want and we are working towards every day."

Earlier this season, manager Ange Postecoglou said he "always wins things" in his second year in charge, having won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar, and the Japanese league with Yokohama F Marinos in his second season or second full season in charge of those clubs.

"I think even if the gaffer didn't say this, we still had the same belief as a group," said Van de Ven.

"We all trust in the process and the system that the gaffer wants to play. We all trust in each other and we know we can achieve some beautiful things. Hopefully we can win a prize - that's a big thing for us."

A huge night ahead for Cymru Premier winners The New Saints this evening as they take on Kazakhstan side Astana in their opening home match of the Europa Conference League.

The Oswestry-based club are the first Welsh league side to host a Uefa Conference group game but they won't be doing so at their usual home of Park Hall but instead at nearby Shrewsbury Town's ground - The Crowd Meadow.

TNS's ground was deemed not up to Uefa regulations.

The Saints lost 2-0 at Fiorentina in their group opener last month but head coach Craig Harrison said their first home match is a "historical" occasion.

“Obviously, the Fiorentina one was huge, but I think this one’s probably as big if not bigger," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Nevin
Former Everton winger on the Football Daily podcast

Image source, Getty Images

Jose Mourinho reminded me of a boxing promoter [in the pre-match press conference].

He knows when he's giving headlines out and he's good at it. We are all smiling and there's an awareness that this is part of the gig.

I think he likes being in the limelight.

Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast here.

Image source, Getty Images

Rob: Everyone is super critical of Mourinho at United but I honestly think he's been the best manager there since Fergie. He said finishing second with that team was his greatest ever achievement. We ridiculed him at the time, but in hindsight he was speaking in complete sense. I think he should have been treated with more respect considering the impossible job he did with a decaying team.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter in Istanbul

There are so many notable moments from Jose Mourinho's time in charge of Manchester United

Firstly, a personal admission. It was me who managed to spill a glass of water over the notes Mourinho waved to a raptured audience at his unveiling news conference. It was an accident in the middle of a scrum to reclaim phones and dictaphones from the desk Mourinho had been sitting at.

Reaching out, I unwittingly knocked the glass and the water spilled on to the notes.

Mourinho took up residence in an exclusive suite in the Lowry Hotel in central Manchester. It was assumed the arrangement would be temporary. His stay lasted 895 nights.

Some United staff members cruelly labelled the Portuguese 'Alan Partridge' after Steve Coogan's BBC comedy character, who lived in the Linton Travel Tavern.

Time to build-up to our 20:00 BST games.

And in case you haven't heard, there's a big reunion in Istanbul.

Glenn Hoddle
Former England and Chelsea manager on TNT Sports

It was spot on really. The goal against they won't be happy with.

They may sure there were no mistakes at the beginning, give your opponents no little chance at all, and then grow into the game.

Second half, they went into another few gears.

They could bring some subs on, younger players, give them a little bit of a chance as well.

It was a perfect night for Chelsea, a good win.

Rangers make two alterations from the 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park.

Robin Propper was in the wars against Killie and drops to the bench as Leon Balogun starts in central defence.

Nico Raskin is preferred to Mohamed Diomande in central midfield.

Rangers: Butland Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte, Barron, Raskin, Cerny, Lawrence, Bajrami, Dessers.

Subs: Kelly, Propper, Diomande, Dowell, Sterling, Kasanwirjo, Igmane, McCausland, Fraser, McKinnon, Rice, Lovelace.

FCSB manager Elias Charalambous, without suspended captain Darius Olaru and injured vice-captain Adrian Sut, makes six changes from the weekend win over Dinamo Bucharest.

FCSB: Tarnovanu, M Popescu, Dawa, Ngezana, Pantea, Edjouma, Alhassan, Miculescu, Luis Phelipe, Stefanescu, Birligea.

Subs: Vlad, Cretu, Pantiru, O Popescu, Popa, Chiriches, Baeten, Baluta, Musi, Radunovic.

A night to remember for Shamrock Rovers in Belfast.

Image source, Getty Images

It's two wins from two for Hearts in the Europa Conference League - and two wins from as many games under manager Neil Critchley by an aggregate score of 6-0!

That is a thoroughly deserved victory at Tynecastle and they are now one of just six sides to have a perfect record after two matches.

A huge roar from the home support as the full-time whistle is blown. Job very nicely done.

Lucy Ward
Former Leeds striker on TNT Sports

Image source, Getty Images

It's been a good night for Chelsea, lots of good performances, lots of goals, Mudryk has done really well.

Maresca is quite calm and measured. You can tell how the team plays that they've worked on that sort of movement and passing.

The only mark on it is not a clean sheet but I think Maresca will be happy with the performance from his squad, to embrace the challenge of the Conference League.

I think that's so important to team moral, it just gets the competition going and a lot of players thrive from competition for places.

Maresca's got it going with the split he's got in the squad. They've got the capability to go deep into the knockouts in this competition.

It's terrific for the fans if you can lift a European trophy, and then complete the set, no club's ever done that.