Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is confident that his players can pull off a "miraculous" comeback against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
A ruthless 4-0 hammering in the Bernabeu last week left Tottenham facing a huge task to overcome Jose Mourinho's side and make the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. No team in the history of the competition has been able to overturn a four-goal margin from a first leg defeat, although three teams have managed it in other UEFA tournaments.That said, those three teams were facing Borussia Monchengladbach, La Choux-de-Fonds, and Queens Park Rangers, and not team blessed with the world's best talent looking to conquer Europe for the 10th time.
Bookmakers rate Spurs' chances of making the semi-finals as long as 50-1, but Redknapp nonetheless cut a relaxed and optimistic figure on Tuesday.
"We are in a situation where everyone feels the tie is over but we know we are a good team and can play well here at White Hart Lane," Redknapp said.
"We know it will take a miracle but miracles can happen and we have to believe that we can give it our best shot tomorrow [Wednesday] and if we play very well, you never know what will happen.
"I went last year to see Juventus at Craven Cottage and Fulham were 3-1 down after the first leg and then went 1-0 down on the night early on.
"They came back and won the tie. It was one of the great games I've seen and shows that anything is possible. You never know with football.
"We have to turn in a good performance and see if we can win the game and we will see where it takes us from there. We will see how it develops."
Spurs came back from 3-0 down in the qualifying round against Young Boys to make the group stages and then almost pulled off a similar feat against Inter, where they fell one goal short of a 4-4 draw after Gareth Bale's superb second-half hat-trick.
And Real Madrid boss Mourinho insists he is not taking anything for granted.
"Miracles do happen in football," Mourinho said.
"That's why I say we have to respect Tottenham and we have to respect football because football sometimes can betray you and you cannot give them the chance of doing that.
"We are coming here to play seriously. People like Xabi (Alonso), and I know the mentality of English stadiums, their supporters and their teams. They will give everything.
"If I put myself in Harry's position, I wouldn't throw in the towel.
"I would do everything I could with my players to try to get the miracle."
To further prove that he and his side will not treat the game as a dead-rubber, Mourinho said he was not planning to rest any of the five players who are carrying yellow cards in Wednesday's game.
"I am going to pick the best team possible that I think is going to get the best result against Tottenham tomorrow [Wednesday] night," he said, meaning that Ronaldo, Di Maria and Sergio Ramos are likely to start despite being one card away from missing the first leg of a probable semi-final against Barcelona.(nspastar)
