Inter-Tottenham preview

Tottenham visit European champions Inter tonight and will be hoping to return to London with something.

This is the sort of game that Tottenham fans must have been dreaming of when they qualified for the Champions League. And I don’t think they will be disappointed.

Giants

Inter are one of the giants of European football. They have dominated Italian football for half a decade and have arguably usurped AC as Milan’s biggest side.

A trip to the Italian and European champions should be just the sort of game that the players and fans alike look forward to.

Players

Most of the Tottenham players are inexperienced when it comes to the Champions League but most are experienced professionals. It will be a good test for Spurs. The game will show how far Spurs have come in recent months and years.

Tottenham are not the best team in the Premier League but on their day can compete with any team. They do have quality players and they need to be at their best to challenge such an established team.

Inter

Having lost European Cup winning manager Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid last summer many people expected a mass exodus from the champions. However that didn’t happen and they are as strong as last season. However Inter will be without star striker Diego Milito who is suffering from a groin problem.

They will still have the dangerous Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroon international has been in superb form this season scoring 16 goals in 14 appearances for club and country. He will be Tottenham’s biggest threat.

Then there is Dutch midfield maestro Wesley Sneijder. I’ve made no secret of my admiration for the former-Real Madrid star. I even said he would be a good signing for Manchester United and is the heartbeat of the Inter team.

New boss Rafa Benitez is hopeful that Goran Pandev, Esteban Cambiasso and Ivan Cordoba will be fit for the game. The trio have had recent injury problems.

Worries

Tottenham will head into the game with an under strength squad. Dutch star Rafael Van Der Vaart serves a one match ban after receiving a red card in Spurs victory over Twente in their last Champions League clash.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will also be without key defender Ledley King, who is suffering from a groin injury. And Spurs will also have to do without long-term absentees Michael Dawson, Jonathan Woodgate, Jamie O’Hara and Jermain Defoe.

Robbie Keane will be hoping to line-up against his former-club. He is vying with Roman Pavlyuchenko for a place alongside Peter Crouch in attack. Redknapp is hoping that defender Younes Kaboul recovers in-time to play in his defence if not then William Gallas is likely to start at the back.

Records

Both sides head into this encounter with four points from their first two games. Inter start the game top of group A but are only ahead of Tottenham on goal difference. This clash is sure to be Tottenham’s toughest game of the group and I’m sure they would take a draw if offered it before kick-off.