Heurelho Gomes admits Tottenham must become more disciplined in next week's second leg against Real Madrid, but has urged the club's fans not to blame Peter Crouch for the 4-0 hammering at the Bernabeu.
Crouch saw red after just 15 minutes of Tuesday's quarter-final first leg for two late and needless sliding tackles in the Real half. It was the third time a Tottenham player had been sent off in the Champions League, with Gomes and Rafael van der Vaart having seen red against Inter Milan and FC Twente respectively.
Gomes admits Crouch tackled like a "novice" in the match, but stressed that the squad and Spurs fans should not castigate a man who has scored seven times in Europe this year, saying: "In the second leg we need to be more careful. If you challenge like a novice at the start of the game, it is hard."
"We need to think about it (our discipline) because it is not the first time. At half-time, Peter said sorry to everyone but we do not blame him.
"It is not just his fault. He has been so important for us this season. We just need to move on now."
Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice and Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo also got on the scoresheet as Real looked to end what has been a remarkable season in the competition for the Londoners.
Gomes admits Tottenham have little chance of making the last four now, but he insists next Wednesday's second leg at White Hart Lane is a good opportunity to go out of the competition with a bang.
"It is going to be difficult for us to turn it around but we have a chance," the former PSV Eindhoven stopper said.
"When you have a chance you need to believe straight away and keep going but I think we are playing for pride."
Source: PA
