Source: Daily_Mail
Gareth Bale could play for Tottenham against AC Milan
When Harry Redknapp returned to the San Siro on a scouting mission a fortnight ago, everyone wanted to know the latest on Gareth Bale, the man who had almost single-handedly tortured Inter Milan.[LNB]It is no wonder the Tottenham boss is ready to give the Welsh star every chance of playing against AC Milan on Tuesday night and he is certain to be on the plane to Italy.[LNB]A back injury has forced Bale to miss the last four Spurs games, and his country's midweek friendly in Ireland, their warm-up for next month's clash with England.[LNB]Immediately after this rare win on Wearside, Redknapp appeared quick to write off his chances of making the opening Champions League quarter-final clash.[LNB]The truth is Bale will be assessed properly tomorrow, after a work-out today, and if nothing else, he will appear with the rest of the Spurs squad at the training session under the San Siro floodlights.[LNB] Luka Modric is likely to be there as well, although he is still recovering from appendicitis, but Rafael van der Vaart definitely will be.[LNB] Wing wizard: Bale caused havoc against Inter Milan in the group stage[LNB]As if Bale's outstanding form this season is not enough to convince Redknapp to play mind games with his hosts, the queries on his recent visit have surely made his mind up.[LNB]Redknapp said: `The Italians have been asking about him but he caused so many problems for Inter, didn't he? Everyone who saw that game talks about Gareth Bale now. [LNB]`I'll be honest with you, he is not out for sure. I don't know. The specialist thinks he should be ok and if he feels right I'd like to think he'd be out there giving it a go.'[LNB]Bale's stand-in Niko Kranjcar marked only his second league start with his second winner in a week, following up his left foot rocket against Bolton with an emphatic right foot volley beyond Craig Gordon.[LNB]It was a win which returned Spurs to the Champions League places at last, and puts them right back in the race for the top four.[LNB]Steve Bruce believes Tottenham's new-found resilience, which has won them 20 points from a losing position this season, gives them a chance over the two legs.[LNB]And Redknapp accepted, after they had gone behind to Asamoah Gyan's sweet opener, this was a game Spurs would have lost a year ago. The comeback may have been sparked by Sunderland's gift to Michael Dawson at a corner just before half-time, but it was no surprise.[LNB] Fighting chance: Luka Modric may also make the Champions League quarter final[LNB]Redknapp said: `You need character in your club. You need people like Michael Dawson who have that never say die attitude.[LNB]`He gives you everything. He is not a prima donna. When he was left out her didn't come in on a Friday and say `I can't travel, bad back or something else'[LNB]`You want no toe rags in your club. If you have people who don't appreciate being at a good club then go somewhere else.[LNB] `Niko and Corluka are the same. They have been out the team all year, but they train hard, work hard. and that is what you want so when their chance comes they take it.[LNB]`There was a time when Spurs went behind and you could pack up and go home. We don't do that any more. We keep going. I always feel there is goals in us.[LNB]`It is good players that want to work and want to win. We have created that good spirit at the club, that determination.[LNB]`You have got to work hard. We can all play pretty football, but there are times when you have to come to places like here - like we did at Blackburn, places where Tottenham wouldn't have got a win, and you have got to claw out a result. We have done that this year.[LNB]`There is not great magic secret to this game. People were saying about Kenny taking over at Liverpool, "oh well it is 20 years". But the ball is still round, and it is still 11 a side, and you still have to pass the ball to your own team and you have to work when you haven't got it. There is no magic formula.'[LNB] Happy return? Harry Redknapp will be hoping to taste more success at the San Siro[LNB]Redknapp can now dream of leading his side out at the San Siro for a Champions League qualifier. Now his side have truly arrived in Europe. And as they continue to `claw' points in the league, they clearly have a taste for it.[LNB]He added: `When we got into the Champions' League I didn't want to go out in that first game.[LNB]`We had to get through Young Boys of Berne and we nearly went out that night to be fair. We were 3-0 down on that astroturf pitch and that would have been a nightmare.[LNB]`I thought: "Let's just get into the group stage and at least we'll have a run at it and give the fans something to watch."[LNB]`But to win that group with Inter Milan and a good team in Werder Bremen and FC Twente was a great achievement.[LNB]`And Milan is a good draw. I would rather have them than Copenhagen. I thought that would have been a banana skin. People would have said `well, they are going to get through now, and if they don't it's a disaster'.[LNB]`Milan is a massive club, a great game to look forward to, and if we can make sure we are still in the tie when they come back to White Hart land it will be another great night.[LNB]`They have a lot of great players, top, top players. They are a good side. But they are not unbeatable and over the two legs we have a good chance.'[LNB] Redknapp ready to rule Bale out ahead of Champions League clash in MilanSunderland 1 Tottenham 2: Kranjcar's cracker fires Spurs into the top fourTottenham defender Gallas puts the boot in... on Spurs! All the latest Tottenham news, features and opinion[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Steve Bruce, Michael Dawson, Harry Redknapp, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Craig Gordon Places: Copenhagen, Milan, Liverpool, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe
