SOCCER:GARETH Bale appears to have overcome a hamstring injury and should be fit to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final tomorrow night, according to Harry Redknapp, reports Richard Gibson, and Sid Lowe in Madrid.
Bale, 21, has been dogged by a hamstring strain that forced him to miss Wales’s Euro 2012 qualifier with England nine days ago and there has been considerable doubt he would recover in time to play in the first leg in Spain tomorrow. But Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, has revealed Bale trained on Friday and suggested his absence from the goalless draw at Wigan Athletic on Saturday came with the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu in mind. “I think Gareth should be fit,” said Redknapp. “He has been doing some work with us, did a bit with the fitness coach and trained at about 80 per cent, so I see no reason why he wouldn’t be okay. It was just felt if he played against Wigan he could stiffen up and he definitely wouldn’t play Tuesday.”
Redknapp admitted William Gallas was unlikely to play while Madrid’s manager Jose Mourinho has suggested Cristiano Ronaldo could defy medical advice to feature.
Redknapp will make a decision over Gallas today but Spurs are keen to give the Frenchman every opportunity to play since they are short of defensive cover and it was confirmed yesterday Alan Hutton needs knee surgery.
Real Madrid slipped to a 1-0 home defeat to Sporting Gijon on Saturday . After the game Mourinho said: “If Cristiano Ronaldo plays against Tottenham it is because he and his coach have taken the decision to risk it. The medical staff have said that he cannot play . . . But maybe I will go over their heads.”
Guardian Service
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