MADRID (DF) -- Despite conceding four goals and scoring none at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp believes his Spurs side are still in a winning position heading into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid at White Hart Lane.
Spurs will be without targetman Peter Crouch for the return leg in London after the lanky striker was sent off in the fifteenth minute by German referee Felix Brych for two bookable offences. In spite of Crouch's enforced absence, Redknapp is sure his side have the firepower to progress.
"Yeah, we'll give it a go," said Redknapp when questioned by reporters outside the team hotel. "Obviously, the lads are gutted by tonight's result, but we're confident enough to know we can turn it around."
"Their defense has more holes than Crouchy's head, at the moment," continued Redknapp. "We didn't test them tonight because of the early sending off, but we'll score six or seven at the Lane for sure. I can't imagine a reason why we wouldn't."
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho claimed in the pre-match build up he would have taken a 0-0 result at the Bernabeu, but on loan Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor's early goal combined with Crouch's red card inside fifteen minutes turned the tide of the tie heavily in favor of Mourinho's free-flowing Galacticos. Even with the four goal cushion, the Portuguese insists their job isn't done.
"Yes, we are in a good position, but anything can happen in football," professed a pragmatic Mourinho after the match. "There are still 90 minutes left to play and Spurs are capable of scoring four goals themselves. I'm comfortable in England, I'll be back there next season, but for now I won't be comfortable until the final whistle."
Mourinho added: "Hopefully we will get a neutral referee in the return leg who won't be influenced when Harry flashes his checkbook."
England manager Fabio Capello plans to risk the wrath of the Wembley faithful by sending out a team of reserves to face Ghana on Tuesday. Capello insists he will keep the regulars on the bench in reserve for when the regular reserves flounder against the World Cup quarterfinalists. -- (Daily Mail)
Arsenal wonderkid Aaaron Ramsey will resign as Wales captain as early as next week, citing a consensus in the press that his lack of experience, and not the inept tactical gameplan laid out by Welsh manager Gary Speed, caused the team to lose 2-0 against England on Saturday. -- (Daily Mirror)
Wayne Rooney has hit out at the England coaching staff for not reminding him he was on a yellow card before Saturday's game in Wales. Rooney claimed he had "no idea" he had picked up a yellow card earlier in the campaign, and that he "shouldn't have to care" about being booked for petulant challenges. -- (Daily Star)
Disgruntled Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has ruled out future move to manage Manchester United by saying he would require at least a £20 million salary and a transfer budget in excess of £150 million if he were to return to England. United would only be able to offer a transfer budget of that size by selling their entire first team squad and Old Trafford. -- (Daily Express)
Blackburn manager Steve Kean is keen on bringing Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy back to the Premier League, but the move could be scuppered by Hamburg's asking price for the player. The former PSV hitman has been shopped around on a free transfer, a price much too low to meet Blackburn owners Venky's demands for a headline-grabbing, big money signing. -- (The Guardian)
Manchester United's glass midfielder Owen Hargreaves fears he will be out for the remainder of the season after suffering a shoulder injury in training. The club's medical staff hopes the former England international will be fit in time for the start of the 2013-2014 Premier League season. -- (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa's American goalkeeper Brad Friedel has denied media claims of a player revolt against under-fire manager Gerard Houllier by insisting the Villa players will stand by their manager until he's sacked at the end of the season. -- (Telegraph)
LONDON (DF) -- Chelsea stand poised to send shockwaves throughout the
footballing world by sacking under-fire manager Carlo Ancelotti and
re-appointing revered former boss Jose Mourinho to the job he vacated nearly
three and a half years ago.
Sources within the club described a change as "imminent," but refused to speculate
whether the managerial realignment would occur before or after Chelsea officially
miss out on next season's Champions League to Tottenham and Manchester City.
Real Madrid coach Mourinho has long been rumored as the only possible successor to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, with the Portuguese himself confessing his love for England the English game at every opportunity.
"It's always important for me and my family to be happy and I love English
football and my family love England," Mourinho said in January. "In the Premier League we did great things and created history for Chelsea with a great contribution to some great moments in this incredible football country. I have always
maintained I will return one day but maybe it will come sooner than I expected."
With Chelsea's struggles in the Premier League well documented and an
embarrassing fourth round FA Cup exit at home to Everton now in their back
pocket, many senior players feel a change at the top is necessary for the club to push
on and attempt to salvage what little is left of their season, echoing concerns from the terraces.
"It should have been us lifting the trophy in Madrid last year," charged one
Chelsea supporter outside Stamford Bridge on Saturday, referring to Mourinho's
Champions League victory with Inter. "I don't know if we have much chance left
for anything with this lot. The way we played against Everton, Copenhagen look
like a tough task."
"Hopefully we'll still snag a Europa League place this season," he continued.
"That competition seems more at our level."
Chelsea currently sit fifth in the table, two points adrift of Tottenham in the fourth and final Champions League place.
