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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Real Madrid v Tottenham

Champions League quarter-final first leg
Venue: Bernabeu Stadium Date: Tuesday, 5 April Kick-off: Time 1945 BST
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, full coverage on the BBC Sport website and live on Sky Sports 2

Spurs players train at the Bernabeu ahead of Tuesday's first leg
Spurs players train at the Bernabeu ahead of Tuesday's first leg

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says his side are not under any pressure ahead of the Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie with Real Madrid.
Tournament debutants Spurs travel to Spain for Tuesday's first leg against the nine-time European champions.
"I don't feel pressure. No-one expected us to be here at here at the start of the season and we have a big chance of winning," said Redknapp.
"We're not just coming here to turn up, we want to keep progressing."
So far Tottenham have enjoyed a dream first season in Europe's elite competition, coming top of their group which included holders Inter Milan, Werder Bremen and FC Twente, and then knocking out AC Milan without conceding a goal over two legs.
And with the prospect of this year's final taking place in London at Wembley, Redknapp said there was no reason to think that their run could not continue.
"The dream is still there for us, we have to make that dream come true," he added.
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"We want to go all the way if we can. We know how difficult it's going to be but there is still a chance and we have to take it."
Spurs come into the game on a run of three consecutive 0-0 draws and realise they must raise their game against Jose Mourinho's outfit.
But on Saturday Madrid suffered a setback in their preparations for the game as they lost at home in the league to Sporting Gijon, a result which ended Mourinho's nine-year, 150-game unbeaten record in league home matches, a run which stretched across his times at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real.
Winger Gareth Bale has arguably been the stand-out player of Spurs' European campaign and Redknapp said he hoped the Welshman would recover from his recent hamstring injury in time to play on Tuesday.
"Let's hope he has no problems and, if he is OK, he will play," he said.
Midfielder Niko Kranjcar is struggling with a foot injury suffered in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Wigan but it is Bale - who has completed just three Premier League games this year - who is the biggest of Tottenham's many injury worries.
The defence is particularly badly affected, with Alan Hutton likely to miss the rest of the season because of knee surgery while Ledley King, Younes Kaboul and Jonathan Woodgate are all out.
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Jose Mourinho hails Harry Redknapp success at Tottenham
"Steven Pienaar didn't travel. He has a groin injury," added Redknapp. "Niko is struggling with a foot injury. He kicked the bottom of someone's boot on Saturday against Wigan. It is badly bruised and swollen.
"In fact, at the moment we might have six subs on the bench instead of seven."
Mourinho also has to make a couple of key selection decisions, with winger Cristiano Ronaldo, striker Karim Benzema and left-back Marcelo all injury concerns.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has been sidelined since November with a back injury, made an unexpected return to first-team action on Saturday and is expected to be involved on Tuesday.

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