Spurs boss AVB wary of experienced Basle
Spurs, who will be without Jermain Defoe after the striker was ruled out for more than days 10 days with a muscle injury, welcome Basle to White Hart Lane for the opening leg of their quarter-final tie and the Premier League club are favourites to progress to the final four.
Reigning Swiss Super League champions Basle have beaten the likes of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Sporting Lisbon over the past two seasons, reaching the knockout phases of last year’s Champions League. That recent record means Villas-Boas is taking nothing for granted as he looks to lead Spurs to their first piece of silverware since the 2008 League Cup win.
“Obviously they have recent European experience that we don’t have,” he said. “They have got tremendous results in the past year with Man United and teams like Bayern — teams they have surprised. They are extremely successful and one of the best teams in the country.
“We have to admit we have superior players but, on the other hand, the experience Basle have and the fact they have played in the Champions League and are regular trophy winners, makes them also one of the favourites.”
Basle coach Murat Yakin, meanwhile, will not send his team out with specific instructions on how to handle Gareth Bale tonight. Yakin could be forgiven for issuing guidelines designed to stop the in-form Wales international but the former Switzerland defender would rather allow his team to play their natural game in north London.
“I have great respect for all teams in this country and they all have quality players,” he said. “In terms of Gareth Bale, we are looking to disrupt his game but we will not be going for man-to-man marking and indeed we will be looking to play our own game.
“That will hopefully effect Bale’s game because we will be playing our own way and we will be able to affect Tottenham getting the ball to Bale.”
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