Spurs getting over sore heads and sore losers

THERE were a few sore heads in Milan on Tuesday night, and not just from those Tottenham supporters celebrating a victory to savour in the San Siro stadium.

Christian Abbiati, the AC Milan goalkeeper, was concussed after his early clashes with Peter Crouch, who went on to score the goal that gave Spurs a landmark victory.

Massimiliano Allegri had a headache, too, as he ponders the task ahead, at White Hart Lane in three weeks against a Spurs side who have taken the Champions League by storm in their debut season.

Vedran Corluka will be hurting too. The Tottenham defender was the victim of a two-footed studs-up assault from Mathieu Flamini that was shocking in its ferocity and shameful in its reward.

Referee Stephane Lannoy gave the former Arsenal midfielder a yellow card only, and one of football’s most outmoded and ridiculous regulations means no further action can be taken.

Football’s authorities bang on about cleaning up the game and the spirit of fair play, but it rings hollow while they are powerless to punish such brutal and career-threatening tackles, witnessed and winced at by millions worldwide.

UEFA will, however, punish Gennaro Gattuso, the Milan captain who capped an astonishing display of ill-humour by butting Joe Jordan, the Spurs coach and former Milan striker.

Gattuso is already out of the return leg after receiving a second booking for fouling Steven Pienaar, but can expect a lengthier ban once UEFA’s disciplinary body meet on Monday to discuss his actions.

The former Rangers midfielder had an extraordinary evening. Second best for most of the game to Tottenham’s rookie central midfielder Sandro, Gattuso was out of control for most of the final half-hour.

There was a time he had a hand in everything Milan and Italy did, but on Tuesday he seemed to have a hand in everybody’s face — Jordan (twice), Crouch and even unused substitute Sebastien Bassong got a bunch of fives.

His running battle with the fearsome Jordan may well have been provoked by something the Scot said to a player who has a Scottish wife.

But there was no excuse for butting a man getting close to his pension book, and Gattuso apologised later. But the damage was done, and his indiscipline exemplified Milan’s malaise.

A club with an immaculate pedigree in this competition, seven-times champions and usually unbeatable at home, were made to look ordinary by a Tottenham team growing in belief all the time.

Spurs were in control from the start, could have had a penalty in the opening minutes, two goals in the first hour, and should have been up against ten men for the final half-hour. Even though they had to weather increased pressure from the Italian side in the second-half, they deserved victory through Crouch’s 80th minute goal, set up by Aaron Lennon’s dazzling run from his own half.

Peter Crouch epitomises this Tottenham team.

An unlikely looking hero, he does not have the panache of Zlatan Ibrahimovic or the sublime skills of Robinho, but he left the Milan strikers in the shade on Tuesday with his eighth goal in seven Champions League games.

He clearly thrives in this competition, having previously scored 14 goals for Liverpool in Europe, including one season when only Kaka scored more in the Champions League.

Crouch is also realistic enough to know that, while Tottenham have one foot in the quarter-finals, anything can happen in the second leg.

“I don’t think it’s over because they are a great side,” he said.

“They can score goals from anywhere and they will be up for it away from home but we have set ourselves up fantastically well and if we don’t go through, then we will be frustrated.”

On a night of drama, one story went almost unreported, but could have a huge impact as Tottenham attempt to end the season with a flourish.

Corluka’s injury gave Jonathan Woodgate the chance to play his first game for 16 months, the former England defender having recovered from what was a career-threatening groin injury. “It was a great night for the club, a 1-0 victory over one of the giants of European football,” said Woodgate, who may not make the second leg after it was confirmed last night that he had sustained another groin strain in his left leg in Milan.

He added: “I thought we could beat them and said to the lads in the changing room that they were there for the taking.

“I’m sure they’ll come out all guns blazing (at White Hart Lane). But the lads are full of confidence and this will only give us more. It always feels better when you have won 1-0 away from home in Europe. It’s good for the fans.”

Apart from the sore heads, that is.