Inter bow before brilliant Bale

WHAT a game! What a night. Just when you thought the superlatives had been exhausted about Harry Redknapp’s super Spurs and the outstanding Gareth Bale, the Welsh wonder put on another world-class show to put the European champions to the sword.

Following Tottenham has rarely been dull, but it has never been as exhilarating as this. A comprehensive demolition of Inter Milan, the reigning champions, took Tottenham above them to the top of Group A, and Bale’s performance took him into a football stratosphere that few players reach.

He didn’t hit a hat-trick like the one so spectacularly scored in the San Siro two weeks ago, but the way the Welshman made Inter’s apparently world-class defenders look like novices was a joy to behold.

No wonder Luis Figo, the former Portuguese superstar who is now a director of Inter, took Redknapp aside for a word. “He said to me ‘Bale is just amazing, amazing. ‘He killed us twice’,’’ said Redknapp.

“When Figo says that, it’s got to be good. Bale was brilliant but the whole team was brilliant tonight, from Carlo Cudicini through.

“We closed Inter down, we outplayed them, we out-passed them.

“It was an outstanding performance, one of the great nights at White Hart Lane that the fans have seen. It was a pleasure to be a part of it.’’

Indeed it was a remarkable night. For Spurs, novices at this level, not just to beat the European champions but to humiliate them was quite something.

Once Rafael van der Vaart had put Spurs ahead in the first half, before limping off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury, Bale took centre stage, ably assisted by Luka Modric in midfield and Younes Kaboul in defence. All three were outstanding as Spurs put on a show that had White Hart Lane rocking and brought back memories of the Glory, Glory days of the 60s.

Bale set up second-half goals for Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko, either side of a late Samuel Eto’o strike that gave Inter brief hope, and cemented his place as one of the best players in the world, as well as putting his transfer value through the roof.

The match started at a cracking pace in a superb atmosphere.

Spurs were prepared to run at their visitors from the start, with Bale unplayable down the left. Inter seemed powerless to stop his marauding runs. Time and time again Bale surged forward. Maicon, hailed as one of the best right-backs in the world, looked out of his depth At one stage in the second half, home supporters started chanting “Taxi for Maicon”.

With Luka Modric pulling the strings in midfield, chances were bound to come thick and fast, and so they did – at both ends of the pitch.

For while Spurs had their speed merchants, Inter were no slouches either, with Samuel Eto’o as difficult to handle as an oiled eel, while Wesley Sneijder’s movement made him always dangerous. Cudicini, in place of the suspended Gomes, made several saves, none better than when he tipped away a curling free-kick from Sneijder shortly before half-time.

By that stage Spurs were in control. The goal came in the 18th minute, after Modric cut in from the left, dummied to shoot past one defender, and then tucked the ball in for Van der Vaart to run on and shoot home.

At 1-0 up and with their tails up, Spurs should have made it two when Bale crossed to Peter Crouch at the far post. The England striker had time to measure his volley but put it wide.

No matter. He found the net in the 61st minute after another astonishing run from Bale, who powered to the byline and cut the ball perfectly across goal, leaving Crouch a simple tap in.

Inter threatened briefly. They started to work their way back into the game, and Eto’o gave them a real chance of pulling level when he scored 10 minutes from the end with a low shot into the far corner of goal.

But Spurs were not to be denied, and when Bale went surging forward again in the dying minutes, he measured his cross perfectly for Pavlyuchenko to drill the ball home from close range.

Redknapp was understandably delighted. “You have to put in perspective who we were playing against. Inter Milan, the Champions League holders.

“The opposition is top, top class and for us to play like we did tonight against them was a fantastic performance.”

Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, could only rue the power of Bale, a player he would love to sign. “We knew that if he has the space, it is difficult to stop him because he has pace.’’

Asked last night if Bale would get into his team, Benitez said: “If he plays like today, why not?’’

But as Redknapp has repeated, there is no way Spurs would sell their prized asset.

Subs for Tottenham: Jenas for Van der Vaart 46, Pavlyuchenko for Crouch 76, Palacios for Lennon 84.

Subs for Inter: Nwankwo for Muntari 53, Coutinho for Biabany 64, Milito for Pandev 71.