Football: Bale-less Spurs ready for Inter

“We have a wonderful opportunity to continue in the Europa League,” says Villas-Boas.

PARIS: Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have their hearts set on higher things than the Europa League next season as both target Champions League qualification via top four finishes in the English Premier League. But both London sides will nevertheless be seeking to book quarter-final berths tonight — even if Chelsea will have to do things the hard way after a first leg 1-0 defeat at Steaua Bucharest. Spurs, on the other hand, appear bound for the last eight after whipping a pale Inter Milan side 3-0 at White Hart Lane. Although Wales star Gareth Bale is suspended for the return to Inter’s San Siro coach Andres Villas-Boas says European glory is there for the taking. “We have a wonderful opportunity to continue in the Europa League,” he said. “Our rewards can be with the Europa League trophy and Champions League qualification — that is our main ambition.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2013.