Real drubs Spurs as Crouch sees red
Source: Agencies |
April 7, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
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TOTTENHAM Hotspur's debut Champions League season has been a story of unlikely comebacks but even the staunchest believer will hold little hope it can recover from Tuesday's 0-4 thrashing by Real Madrid.
Way back in August, Spurs dipped their toe into the Champions League so tentatively that within 30 minutes of their qualifying round first-leg match at Young Boys of Berne they were 0-3 down.
However, setting their tone for the competition, they pulled two goals back and then won the second leg with a convincing 4-0 scoreline.
In the group stage things were even more dramatic as they trailed Inter Milan 4-0 at the San Siro only for Gareth Bale's spectacular hat-trick to make it 4-3 and give them the confidence to beat the holders 3-1 back in London.
At the Bernabeu on Tuesday the 15th-minute dismissal of Peter Crouch for two wild sliding tackles made Tottenham's task near-impossible. But even if it plays with 12 men at White Hart Lane next week another turnaround looks beyond the realms of possibility.
"You need a miracle playing here with 10, better teams than us would have struggled," said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp after the club's heaviest European defeat. "We've got a mountain to climb but we'll give it a go.
"It's been a great experience and we still have a game to play at White Hart Lane. It won't be tough to lift them - what's tough is the injuries."
Spurs have 13 players unavailable, not including Aaron Lennon, whose last-minute withdrawal through illness on Tuesday did much to disrupt Redknapp's carefully-designed game plan.
"I've got to try to find 11 for Saturday against Stoke City," Redknapp said.
Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan from Manchester City, struck twice for Real Madrid before Angel Di Maria scored the best goal of the night with a powerful shot into the top corner in the 72nd.
Cristiano Ronaldo completed the rout in the closing stages with a fine volley from a Kaka cross as Real bounced back in style after Saturday's 0-1 home defeat by La Liga strugglers Sporting Gijon.
"Eleven against 10 at this level is mission impossible," said Mourinho who won the Champions League with Inter Milan last season and with Porto in 2004.
"I think Spurs will try everything in the second leg. They have belief and White Hart Lane is not an easy place to play.
"They will fight for sure. I know the mentality of English teams and their fans. We haven't lost yet in this season's Champions League so we'll try to get a positive result in London."
Way back in August, Spurs dipped their toe into the Champions League so tentatively that within 30 minutes of their qualifying round first-leg match at Young Boys of Berne they were 0-3 down.
However, setting their tone for the competition, they pulled two goals back and then won the second leg with a convincing 4-0 scoreline.
In the group stage things were even more dramatic as they trailed Inter Milan 4-0 at the San Siro only for Gareth Bale's spectacular hat-trick to make it 4-3 and give them the confidence to beat the holders 3-1 back in London.
At the Bernabeu on Tuesday the 15th-minute dismissal of Peter Crouch for two wild sliding tackles made Tottenham's task near-impossible. But even if it plays with 12 men at White Hart Lane next week another turnaround looks beyond the realms of possibility.
"You need a miracle playing here with 10, better teams than us would have struggled," said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp after the club's heaviest European defeat. "We've got a mountain to climb but we'll give it a go.
"It's been a great experience and we still have a game to play at White Hart Lane. It won't be tough to lift them - what's tough is the injuries."
Spurs have 13 players unavailable, not including Aaron Lennon, whose last-minute withdrawal through illness on Tuesday did much to disrupt Redknapp's carefully-designed game plan.
"I've got to try to find 11 for Saturday against Stoke City," Redknapp said.
Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan from Manchester City, struck twice for Real Madrid before Angel Di Maria scored the best goal of the night with a powerful shot into the top corner in the 72nd.
Cristiano Ronaldo completed the rout in the closing stages with a fine volley from a Kaka cross as Real bounced back in style after Saturday's 0-1 home defeat by La Liga strugglers Sporting Gijon.
"Eleven against 10 at this level is mission impossible," said Mourinho who won the Champions League with Inter Milan last season and with Porto in 2004.
"I think Spurs will try everything in the second leg. They have belief and White Hart Lane is not an easy place to play.
"They will fight for sure. I know the mentality of English teams and their fans. We haven't lost yet in this season's Champions League so we'll try to get a positive result in London."
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