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Martens relishing return of former side AZ Alkmaar midfielder Maarten Martens has admitted his family would have divided loyalties when he takes on Anderlecht for a place in the Europa League last 16.

Martens' family were all supporters of the Belgian giants, where he spent 12 years as a youth player before relocating to Holland.

Thursday's Europa League last-32 first leg will be the first time the 27-year-old has faced his former club and he said: "Obviously, this is a game I look forward to.

"I had 12 years at Anderlecht playing football in the youth ranks. Playing against the club will always be a bit special.

"But it's not that I want to beat RSCA more than another team.

"My family were already supporters of the Brussels club even before I played there.

"Of course, that feeling changed over the years a bit, but they are still supporters." The game will see resurgent AZ try to beat an Anderlecht side who qualified from the Europa League group phase with a 100% record.

The Jupiler League leaders were the only team to win all their matches and were top scorers with 18 goals.

They also boast an impressive record against teams from neighbouring Holland, winning eight and losing just two of their 12 meetings with Dutch clubs, including four away victories.

They were actually unbeaten in those fixtures until last season, when they lost both home and away to Ajax at the same stage of the Europa League.

And their record is likely to be under threat again in this year's two-legged affair against an AZ side who were the draw specialists of the group phase.

Gertjan Verbeek's men won just one of their six Group G games but five successive stalemates were just enough to seal their progress.

Since then, they have rediscovered the art of winning and lie level on points with PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Eredivisie.

AZ vs Anderlecht

Last modified 20:22 16/02/12

Maher strike gives AZ advantage AZ Alkmaar laboured to a narrow 1-0 victory over Anderlecht as they failed to take a string of chances to kill off this Europa League tie in the first leg.

Adam Maher's 35th-minute goal was all that separated the two sides, but AZ should have done more with multiple opportunities in front of goal, with their failure to do so not only enticing Anderlecht forward in the final stages of this match but likely giving them plenty of hope heading into the second leg in Belgium.

Brett Holman sent an early shot over for AZ, but there were otherwise few chances in the opening exchanges, and it was not until after the half-hour mark that the hosts took the lead and then began to exert further pressure.

The breakthrough came in the 35th minute when Simon Poulsen crossed from the left for Maher to finish from close range.

Moments later, Holman sent a curling shot wide left and, after Esteban Alvarado had made a routine save from Lucas Biglia's long-range shot for the visitors, Roy Beerens and Holman were both off target with further chances.

AZ took plenty of time to get going in the second half as well, but again enjoyed the upper hand.

Roy Beerens warmed the palms of Anderlecht goalkeeper Silvio Proto in the 57th minute before Holman's shot from the edge of the area was held.

Proto was then able to parry a powerful low effort from Maher as AZ's frustrations in front of goal continued.

Their failure to kill the game off gave Anderlecht hope, and the visitors began to commit further forward in the closing stages.

A foul on Matias Suarez gave them a dangerous free-kick, but Roland Juhasz headed over from Biglia's cross.

Dieudonne Mbokani then whipped a ball in for Guillaume Gillet but Alvarado has punched the ball clear.