What: UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final (second leg)
Who: Tottenham Hotspur (0) vs Real Madrid (4)
When: Wednesday 13th April, 2011, at 19:45 UK time
Where: White Hart Lane, London, England
Mountain to Climb
Mythical comebacks have occurred before in Europe’s blue ribbon competition, but Tottenham Hotspur will undoubtedly need to pull off one of the biggest – if not the biggest – resurgences in their history should they want to progress past Real Madrid in the Champions League. 4-0 down after the first leg, the omens do not appear good for Harry Redknapp’s side.
Whether or not Peter Crouch’s sending-off was the turning point in the match at the Bernabeu last week is debatable. Real Madrid looked dominant from the very first minute, confining Spurs to their own half, with the end result visible for all to see. Underlining the difficulty of their task in the return leg at home, Redknapp all but dismissed his side’s chances of progression: “It’s not over until it’s over but we have a mountain to climb, no doubt about that", said the Spurs boss.
And that Tottenham appreciate their likely exit is obvious in a renewed focus on securing a top four spot in the Premier League. The Lilywhites know that qualification for next season’s Champions League is a must for the club and their supporters. Salvaging some pride against Real Madrid though will be uppermost in their minds come kick-off.
Catalonia in Sight
The prospect of four Clasicos in the following weeks is all but confirmed, and Real Madrid will battle Barcelona for the three major titles both clubs are fighting for. With qualification near enough sealed, Jose Mourinho will surely opt to rest some of his most important stars as he prepares to welcome the Blaugrana next weekend for the first of four rounds.
Fielding a very irregular starting eleven, Los Merengues performed admirably at the weekend against Athletic Bilbao, ending the game 3-0 in their favour in one of Spain’s most intimidating stadiums. According to club skipper Iker Casillas, it was a risk that paid dividends for the team: “It has been a side that nobody anticipated, but has done well and people have enjoyed it.”
Such an occasion will allow Mourinho to use some of his returning players, such as Gonzalo Higuain and Kaka. Both have missed much of the season through injury and the Portuguese coach will be hoping to have them ready for the club’s upcoming crucial matches.
Recent form
Tottenham Hotspur:
Wigan Athletic 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur (02/04; Premier League)
Real Madrid 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur (05/04; Champions League)
Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Stoke City (09/04; Premier League)
Real Madrid:
Real Madrid 0-1 Sporting Gijon (02/04; La Liga)
Real Madrid 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur (05/04; Champions League)
Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid (09/04; La Liga)
Key absences
Tottenham Hotspur: Jonathan Woodgate; Wilson Palacios; Ledley King; Alan Hutton; Steven Pienaar (doubt); Peter Crouch (suspended)
Real Madrid: Fernando Gago; Karim Benzema (doubt); Pepe (suspended)
Players to watch
Tottenham Hotspur – Gareth Bale: The speedy Welshman could have given Sergio Ramos a hard time had he been 100% fit in the first leg. At the Bernabeu, he displayed flashes of his brilliance, and will be hoping to do the same as his team prepares to try and complete what looks an impossible task.
Real Madrid – Kaka: No player in this Real Madrid squad has endured as much as Kaka. The injury-prone playmaker has been on the treatment table more often than not during his stint in Madrid. His penalty brace at the weekend no doubt restored some of his confidence however as he keeps searching for the form of old.
Match Prediction
Both teams go into this match with a sense of disinterest. Having other objectives in mind, especially Real Madrid, the game could go either way, especially given the fact that each side could field fringe players. Expect Spurs to win, but without affecting the first leg’s outcome.
For top betting tips and a wide range of markets and odds on Tottenham Hotspur v Real Madrid don’t forget to visit OLBG.
