Redknapp relishing Real meeting

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has welcomed his side’s Champions League quarter-final draw against Spanish giants Real Madrid.

After beating AC Milan 1-0 on aggregate to reach the last eight, English Premier League club Spurs will now make the daunting trip to face nine-time winners Real in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

And Redknapp is already relishing the prospect of tackling the most successful team in the competition’s history.

“Yeah, a fantastic draw,” Redknapp said.

“What a game to look forward to. One of the greatest clubs in world football and to go and be playing there at this stage of the Champions League is fantastic for us and I’m really looking forward to it.”

“It’s going to be a difficult game obviously, they are a great side, but you’ve got to look forward to these. These are the great days in your life and the great days in Tottenham Football Club history. So we will go there and look forward to it and give it a real go.

“It’s an exciting game, you couldn’t have too many more tougher games. I’ve said all along, I felt the two Spanish clubs would be favourites so we’ve drawn Real Madrid who are right up there … pushing Barcelona all the way for the championship.”

Redknapp paid tribute not just to Real’s star-studded squad, but also their decorated Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho.

“They’ve got great players and a fantastic manager in my opinion, one of the all time great managers so I’m looking forward to going there and playing them,” he said.