Inter destroyer Bale ‘even better now’

Andre Villas-Boas has warned Inter Milan that Gareth Bale is now even more capable of wreaking havoc against them than when he tore them apart the last time around.

Bale caught the world’s attention in October 2010 when he scored a hat-trick at the San Siro in a 4-3 defeat and then went on to make a mockery of Brazil right-back Maicon when Inter went down 3-1 to Spurs in the reverse fixture the following month.

Bale has scored 20 goals for Spurs this season — comfortably his best return as a professional — and his manager thinks the Welshman is primed to cause yet more damage to Inter when the two teams lock horns in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 tie at White Hart Lane tonight (8.05pm).

“I think Gareth has evolved as a player. He is even more threatening now,” the Tottenham manager said.

“Two years on, he plays in a different position. He’s become a different player; a bigger player and a more complete player.

“He’s the kind of player who can determine the outcome of a game, as we’ve seen in recent matches.”

Elsewhere, Fernando Torres is set to start up front for Chelsea at Steaua Bucharest tonight (6pm) as Demba Ba is ineligible, having represented Newcastle earlier in the competition.

Rafael Benitez knows his side face Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final but is not being sidetracked.

“We are here, to play in the Europa League, we will try to win,” he said.

“On Sunday we’ll be at Old Trafford and afterwards we’ll concentrate on West Ham, or whatever. We know that all the competitions are important and if we can finish in the top four, everybody will be happy.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse is out of tonight’s Europa League clash at Anzhi Makhachkala with a virus (5pm).

The Senegal international was unable to travel after seeing a doctor yesterday morning and was left behind along with midfielder Jonas Gutierrez, who has a knee problem which manager Alan Pardew does not want to risk on the artificial pitch at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

Winger Hatem Ben Arfa, who has not played since tearing a hamstring in December, could feature.