Real ready to dispatch Spurs in Champions League
Real Madrid should complete the formality of eliminating Tottenham Hotspur from the Champions League today to set up a probable semi-final against archrivals Barcelona.
Real, who will travel to White Hart Lane without the suspended Pepe, will be brimming with confidence after demolishing Spurs 4-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash last week. Barring the most unlikely of events, Real and Barca will meet each other in European competition for the first time since 2002.
Meanwhile, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp insists his team will go down fighting even though they face a mission impossible in this match.
Redknapp, who concedes that Spurs are massive underdogs, will accept nothing less than total commitment. However, they will have to do without striker Peter Crouch who was sent off last week.
“I look at the whole season how it has gone and I think that we are not out of it yet,” said Redknapp. “Nothing is impossible. Who knows what can happen. The crowd already knows that we will give it a hell of a go.”
Schalke eye semi-final spot
Meanwhile, Schalke 04 will be in buoyant mood when they aim to complete a stunning Champions League upset against holders Inter Milan.
New coach Ralf Rangnick has injected a winning mentality since taking over, masterminding a sensational 5-2 victory in the San Siro.
“We are leading 5-2 at halftime, now we have to go out and be equally dominant in this match,” said Rangnick who will most likely use 19-year-old defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos in a holding midfield role just as he did in the past two matches, while Brazilian Edu, who scored twice in the first leg, should again partner Raul up front.
Inter, who restored some pride by beating Chievo 2-0 in Serie A on Saturday, have not given up hope of pulling off the impossible when they travel to Gelsenkirchen.
“I believe that anything is possible,” said Inter manager Leonardo. “I believe it and the players believe it too. Sameul Eto’o perhaps believes it more than anyone.”
Inter will look to benefit from defender Walter Samuel who has been included in their squad after missing the last five months because of a cruciate ligament injury.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2011.
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