Bale in or Bale out?

IT’S been quite a week of smokescreens and mind games, so no one is surprised that Harry Redknapp will not say whether or not Gareth Bale will face AC Milan tonight.

Arsene Wenger kept Barcelona guessing about the fitness of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, a move reciprocated by Pep Guardiola regarding his own line-up.

So Redknapp is happy to leave Massimiliano Allegri and his men from Milan wondering whether they will have to contend with the pace and power of Bale. Even allowing for the goal threat of Rafael van der Vaart and playmaking skills of Luka Modric, it is Bale who occupies most Milanese minds.