The Tottenham fans were in fine voice as they filed down towards White Hart Lane in their thousands. This was the kind of night the older fans had dreamed of for decades and one that the younger ones would be able to regale future generations with about how their team had advanced so dramatically during 2009 and 2010. Assuming the boys did the business for them, of course.
Gareth was confident but had a rare bout of minor nerves as kick off loomed. A Spurs source said: ‘He wasn’t his usual devil-may-care self but he always thought we could beat Inter. Harry had a special word with him – I think he could tell he was a bit more nervous than normal. The thing is with Harry, he can tell if someone’s a bit quieter than usual and needs a reassuring arm around the shoulder.
‘Baley is one of his favourites – him, Crouchy and Jermain are probably his biggest favourites – so he took time out to help make sure Gareth was totally focused for what was probably our biggest match for nearly 40 years.’
One man certainly focused was Inter’s Maicon. He arrived at the Lane laughing and joking and looked supremely confident. He had apparently laughed off comments about his humbling by Gareth in the San Siro, saying that it had been a one-off and would not happen again. He told the Italian press that his poor performance could probably be attributed to a ‘24-hour virus’ he had picked up the night before the match. He had failed to shake it off before kick-off and it had affected his tackling and pace. Of course, Mr Maicon now had to prove it had been down to this ‘illness’ by getting the better of Gareth in the match.
Before kick off a timely boost for Gareth came from a most unusual and unexpected source…the boss of Arsenal. Arsène Wenger predicted that Inter could well struggle again to keep the Welsh rocket at bay. Wenger told Yahoo Eurosport: ‘Many people in Europe discovered Bale because of his hattrick in Milan, but the English all saw him finish last season as a cannonball.
‘He was exceptional against us and then against Chelsea in the space of just three days. He made the difference in those games. I’m not surprised, he’s an exceptional player. Also, he has exceptional physical qualities; you can see how he is able to run back and forth as much as anyone else out there.’
Harry Redknapp knew that Inter planned to double up on Gareth to try to negate his impact – as Everton had done by putting Coleman and Neville on him. But he revealed that the coaches at the Lane had been working on that with Gareth – to find ways to beat the shackling. In fact, the Spurs boss said he felt that the experiences Gareth was now having as a winger would eventually stand him in good stead if or when he returned to being a left-back. Redknapp said: ‘We’ve been working on that with him. That’s why I said all along that long-term he’ll be the best left-back around. When he plays there he come forward on to the ball and has no one getting tight to him. He’s running from deep positions.
‘We went to Benfica and I’ve never seen a left-back performance like it. He kept running the length of the field. He’s got everything to be a great left-back. His defending is getting better – it’s just at the moment Benoit Assou-Ekotto is a great left-back.’
I know many Spurs fans wouldn’t mind a bit if Gareth never returned to left-back duties – and I can empathise with them. He is the ultimate modern-day left midfielder/winger, given his pace and dribbling skills and it’s not surprising that many believe putting Gareth back in defence would be a waste of Spurs’ most potent weapon. Gareth himself apparently prefers the freer role than being constrained at left-back – although being the professional he is, he is prepared to work where the boss tells him, for the good of the team.
At least Tottenham were boosted by the return to fitness of playmaker Rafael van der Vaart who, along with Gareth and Jermain Defoe (when fit again), was becoming one of the key men in the team. A relieved Redknapp said: ‘He came through training OK. He trained and that was a bonus. He came down with a hamstring but he was probably fatigued in all honesty. He was probably tired and maybe it was cramp rather than a hamstring. There was no reaction so he could be OK.’ At just £8 million from Real Madrid the Dutchman was undoubtedly the transfer bargain of the season. The day before he signed for Spurs he had been all lined up to move to Bayern Munich in Germany for £18 million – so full credit to White Hart Lane chairman Daniel Levy on this occasion for pulling off a fabulous coup in getting his man for £10 million less than the going rate.
Certainly Van der Vaart looked an £18 million player as he quickly settled in at Tottenham – it was a rare blunder in the transfer market by Jose Mourinho, by now boss at the Bernabeu, to let such a remarkable player escape for such relative peanuts.
The Dutchman was convinced his new team could beat Inter and advance to the later stages of the Champions League. He said: ‘These are the games when the spotlight is on you as individuals to produce and it is on this stage that we must show our entitlement to be there. Big players love big games and we have to show we have that quality.
‘Inter have many good players but we have to make them worry about us and ensure that this game is dictated by what we do. We showed Inter what we’re about in the second half at the San Siro and now we have to believe that we can do it again. It won’t be easy, how can it be? This is Inter Milan in the Champions League. But we have shown our fighting spirit and that anything in football is possible.’
He pointed to how Bale had inspired Spurs towards that unbelievable comeback at the San Siro as proof that anything was indeed possible. He said he considered Gareth already a world class star and added: ‘We proved that point [about anything being possible] with 10 men against a very good Inter side when, had we played another five or so minutes, we might have got it back to 4-4. We had the momentum towards the end and we have to maintain that outlook from the start in front of our own fans.’
However, despite the return of Van der Vaart and his confidence, plus the excitement generated by Bale v Maicon round two, Spurs did not go into the match as favourites as their form had dipped since the match in the San Siro – while Inter had prospered. As Gareth and Co were going down at Old Trafford, Inter were beating Genoa thanks to a goal from Sulley Muntari, whom Redknapp had coached at Portsmouth. And while Inter were second in Serie A, Spurs were fifth in the Premier League and facing a real battle for that all-important fourth spot from Manchester City.
If anything, the pressure was more on Spurs than Inter as they needed at least a draw to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages. Defeat would have allowed FC Twente or Werder Bremen to take the initiative in the fight for second place in the group behind Inter.
But Gareth was convinced Spurs could keep their dream alive by beating Inter – and nostalgic boss Redknapp said he believed history was on their side. He said: ‘Inter aren’t just the champions of Europe but the champions of Italy. But tell you what, we’d win if we had those three playing for us – Danny Blanchflower, Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Smith. Did you know Danny Blanchflower invented the defensive wall? Northern Ireland were playing Italy in the 1950s and they had someone who could take a mean free-kick. So Blanchflower suggested a wall to stop him.
‘At first, because he was Irish, they thought he was talking about building one. But, no, he was talking about players standing together. It had never been done before.’
Harry also believed destiny favoured his team when it was revealed that Inter would have a stand-in between the posts – Luca Castellazzi – as first choice, and arguably the world’s No. 1 keeper Julio Cesar, was injured. He was sure that if Gareth and his marauding talents attacked from the kick off, they would do serious damage. Harry added: ‘There is a feeling that attack is the best form of defence for us. We are an open team and I don’t have any options other than to pick an attacking team. We are an attacking team. Look at my midfield. We have Huddlestone, Modric, Bale, Lennon, Van der Vaart and then a front man, Crouchy.
‘Unless I leave out Modric and play Wilson Palacios I can’t thicken it up. I have two wingers who have to play and for me there is not a team that I can pick which is defensive. But then I like attacking teams. We are at home and we have to have a go. We need to get something after losing in Milan. Even over there I decided to have the two wingers on. It is the place we can hurt them.
‘Their two wide men do not really defend. They attack with three forwards and Wesley Sneijder behind, and they have two holding midfield players and attack with six. The key tomorrow will be ripping into them on the flanks. We need Gareth Bale to again get the better of Maicon. Then you have Aaron Lennon on the other side; I think they can be the key.’
Harry had already told Bale that he would be in for a tough night: that Inter would double up with Zanetti likely to help out Maicon. He said he was ready for the rearguard action and showed his confidence by adding that he still expected to come out on top – that it was his job to find a way past them whatever they throw at him, if he were to be considered a world-class star.
Gareth said: ‘Obviously teams are trying to stop me, so I’ve got to think of other ways to get past them. I’m going to have to keep learning in training and in games and try things and hopefully improve as a player which will allow me to do that. Against the world-class players, the likes of Ronaldo, teams double up all the time. Ronaldo still finds a way. And you’ve got to keep trying to improve your game and make it an all-round game, to kind of be unstoppable.’
Rather mischievously, it was suggested by one of the press corps that Gareth might be auditioning for a future role in the Inter team. He swiftly and emphatically kicked that idea into touch, much to the relief of the Spurs fans among the mass of reporters! ‘I don’t take much notice of what speculation’s going on in the media,’ he said. ‘I just want to keep playing for Tottenham and working on my game. I’m learning every day, week in, week out.’
You could have cut a knife with the tension as the teams finally lined up for kick off. Both Bale and Maicon were there, with the Brazilian looking decidedly the more nervous and edgy. The teams played out the match like this:
TOTTENHAM: Cudicini, Hutton, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Van der Vaart, Modric, Bale, Crouch. Subs: Jenas (Van der Vaart), Pavlyuchenko (Crouch), Palacios (Lennon). Not used: Pletikosa, Keane, Bassong, Kranjcar.
INTER MILAN: Castellazzi; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu; Biabiany (Coutinho), Zanetti, Muntari (Nwankwo), Pandev (Milito); Sneijder; Eto’o. Subs not used: Orlandoni, Cordoba, Materazzi, Santon. Booked: Samuel, Chivu, Lucio.
With a performance that will live forever in the memories of Spurs fans, their team triumphed 3-1 over the European champions – and Gareth Bale was again Man of the Match. Once again, the man considered to be the best right-back in the world could not live with his lightning pace and skill. Once again Maicon was reduced to a stuttering, slightly pathetic, sad figure as he struggled to match the Welsh wizard.
Indeed, his night was best summed up by the mischievous taunts of the home fans as he was left for dead yet again midway through the second half. ‘Taxi for Maicon!’ they chanted, much to the merriment of many on the Spurs bench – although Inter boss Benitez did not enjoy the big joke one little bit.
He knew that he was constantly being compared to predecessor Mourinho and that defeat in London was another nail in his ever-closing coffin lid at the San Siro.
Gareth was understandably delighted. He made two of the goals with another superlative performance. Inter had panicked every time Gareth got the ball and that meant spaces opened up for Tottenham’s other creative players, particularly Modric and Van der Vaart.
It was the Dutchman who put the hosts 1-0 up on 18 minutes. Then Gareth set up Crouch for No 2 just after the hour. Samuel Eto’o pulled one back 20 minutes later and it looked as if Tottenham might be in for a nerve-wracking finale.
But, just as in Milan, Gareth Bale once again emerged as the superhero. He killed off any dreams of Benitez and Inter may have had of going home with a point when he once again left Inter’s defence in his wake as he crossed for substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko to make it 3-1.
Brilliant.
Afterwards the normally measured Bale was, unsurprisingly given the result and what it meant, was bubbly and on a high. The incredible win moved Spurs above Inter at the top of Group A.
And Gareth said: ‘It was great, so special beating the European champions. It will be a night that will never be forgotten. The fans were unbelievable. They acted as a 12th man. They have been fantastic all season and we capped it off for them tonight. It was a special night.’
Typically, he refused to accept all the plaudits that were coming his way, insisting that it had been a team result. He said: ‘I’m just trying to keep my feet on the ground, work hard in training and do well in games and enjoy my football. We all had the belief that we could hurt Inter and we showed that. We were unlucky to go down to 10 in the San Siro. With 11 men on the pitch, we know what we can do. We know what we are capable of. We just have to produce it and we have. Hopefully, we will have shown people what we can do and hopefully we can go far in this competition now.’
Boss Redknapp had thrown a grateful arm around Gareth at the final whistle and he was as excited as anyone about his star man. He revealed that Portuguese legend Luis Figo, now working in an ambassadorial role for Inter, had told him he loved Gareth. Harry said: ‘He said that Bale is just amazing, just amazing. When Figo says that he has to be good because he was such a fantastic footballer himself. He said, “He killed us twice”. He didn’t ask about buying him, he just said Bale was fantastic.
‘As for selling him, Tottenham is a well-run club and not one that needs to sell. Bale was outstanding and he was playing against a right-back rated by many as the best in the world and he’s given him a chasing. It’s like you’re a boxer knocking everybody out, but it’s only when you do it against the top people that it counts. Well, he was coming up against the champions tonight – and he’s done it again.
‘No disrespect to Maicon but he’s given him the most torrid time you will ever wish to see. It was amazing…what confidence you must have to go and do that to a player like Maicon, people who are so highly-rated.
‘It’s amazing really and he’s done it in both games. This kid is just improving and improving and getting better and better… he’s just a great left-sided player. It’s probably a year now that he has shown this form. ‘Getting the monkey off his back of never being on a winning team at Tottenham was amazing for him. I don’t think he needs to go anywhere else to play his football. He needs to stay.
‘We’ve got a good chance now to get out of this group, which would be what we aimed to do. We’re playing well but we’ve got to keep it going.’
The Italians had already dubbed Gareth ‘Incredi-Bale’ after his hat-trick in the San Siro and now the likes of Inter were even more determined to land him one day soon – despite Redknapp’s protestations. His team-mate Van der Vaart summed up the situation succinctly when he said: ‘Everyone is scared of Gareth. Maicon is the best right-back in the world – and he killed him.’
The plaudits kept on coming. Former Liverpool star and TV pundit Jamie Redknapp told how his only regret was that Gareth was not English. He said: ‘I wish Gareth Bale was available to Fabio Capello. The kid is so gifted. Now he has the confidence to support his ability and is an example of a young player taking an opportunity when it comes his way at Tottenham. He’s been like a new signing in the second half of the season. With that sweet left foot, he could be world class.’
Gareth admitted he was aware of the fans’ ‘Taxi for Maicon’ chant. He said: ‘A few of the lads were on about it after the match, it was a bit of fun on the part of the fans. The atmosphere throughout the match was fantastic; I have never known an atmosphere like it before.’
Predictably, the next day’s papers were full of Baley and his wonderful performance. Shaun Custis, writing in the Sun, typified the adulation in the English press: ‘Hey! Can this bloke Bale play or what? It did not need a straw poll to decide that the sensational Gareth Bale was Tottenham’s Man of the Match. On a glorious and historic night at White Hart Lane, he was clearly the shining star. The Welsh wing wizard has set his sights on emulating Cristiano Ronaldo and says his aim is to be unstoppable.
‘In Milan a fortnight ago, he was unstoppable in the second half and hit a hat-trick in the Londoners’ 4-3 defeat. Last night he was unstoppable for the entire game, as Inter’s Brazilian full-back Maicon would testify. Maicon is supposedly the best right-back in the world but Bale has reduced him to a nervous wreck.’
But it wasn’t just in England that the fourth estate were paying homage. The Italian press were also making the most of Bale’s second wonder show against Inter, even though it was at the expense of their own champion team. Corriere dello Sport’s headline was: ‘Bale flattens Inter.’ Turin sports newspaper Tuttosport had a front-page picture of the Spurs man under the headline: ‘Frightening Bale sweeps away Inter.’ And La Repubblica’s front page read: ‘Nightmare Bale, Inter crashes.’
Yes, young Gareth had become headline news across the whole of Europe, and he was still only 21. The only problem now would surely be keeping his own feet on the ground – and for Redknapp to keep the team from getting carried away. They would all need to stay down-to-earth and focused as one of the two biggest domestic matches of the season now loomed ominously on the horizon…Arsenal…away at The Emirates.