UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS:HARRY REDKNAPP is refusing to be drawn into mind games with Jose Mourinho after the Real Madrid manager claimed Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg with Tottenham Hotspur in Spain.
The former World Player of the Year has been suffering with a thigh injury, which prevented him from featuring in Portugal’s recent friendlies. Mourinho said he will definitely be without Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, his centre-forward who has a thigh problem, and the left-back Marcelo, who has bruised ribs.
The Madrid manager said: “The medical staff have told me they are only fit for (Athletic) Bilbao (Real’s league game that follows the Tottenham match). Cristiano, Marcelo and Benzema can only play in Bilbao.” His side host Sporting Gijon tonight and asked if he was resting key personnel ahead of Spurs’ visit, Mourinho said: “(Saturday’s) game is more important than Tottenham. I can’t rest anyone. If we lose this, we lose the league. If we lose on Tuesday we can turn things around in London.”
When Redknapp was asked about Mourinho’s comments he said: “Is that what he said? Do you think he will? We’ll have to see.”
Redknapp may be without Gareth Bale and William Gallas due to hamstring and knee problems for Tuesday’s match, with both unfit for today’s league match at Wigan Athletic. Redknapp was asked if he or Mourinho were engaged in kidology. He said: “No, not with me. We’ve got Wigan and that is a massive game. We’ve got to try to get in that top four again. If you were out there in the morning you would have seen William, when he tried to kick the ball he collapsed in pain. I don’t know whether he’ll need an operation. We’ve shut him down again until Monday. I’m not kidding anyone about him.
“If Gareth was fit I’d play him against Wigan, but he’s not travelling with us.”
He said of the two Bale had the better chance of playing on Tuesday. Redknapp also said he would talk to Rafael van der Vaart regarding the player’s decision to walk straight down the tunnel after being substituted during the goalless home draw against West Ham United two weeks ago. Redknapp believes that Van der Vaart’s fitness is an issue – the Dutchman has played the full 90 minutes in eight of his 26 games for the club. “That is a problem for him - he tires in games at times and you pick up injuries when you get tired. That’s why I’ve played him 65, 70, 75 minutes or whatever. Can he play 90 minutes tomorrow and then play 90 minutes on Tuesday?”
Guardian Service
