AC Milan v Tottenham: what the Italian media is saying ahead of Champions League clash
Gareth Bale's absence remains the biggest news in Italy ahead of tonight's Champions League clash between AC Milan and Tottenham at the San Siro.
Missing: Gareth Bale failed to recover from a back injury for tonight's tie at the San Siro Photo: ACTION IMAGES
4:26PM GMT 15 Feb 2011
Tottenham face Milan without Bale
The Welshman's absence is central to the focus of almost every Italian journalist's match preview considering the damage he did the last time he came up against a team from Milan.
It is a factor Milan must take advantage of but not depend on, according to Alfredo Pedullà of DataSport who describes Bale as a "Welsh arrow" without whom Spurs are weakened.
"His recovery is impossible. Let us say it loud and clear. With Bale Tottenham are formidable, without they must be respected but considered weakened. Milan has a duty to take advantage of it though Pato."
Time for Pato to shine
With so many of Allegri's squad ruled out having already played elsewhere in the Champions League (Van Bommel, Emmanuelson and Cassano), Gaetano De Stefano of the Gazetta dello Sport hails tonight's clash with Spurs as Pato's moment to shine.
Readers are warned they will see a very different Milan on the San Siro pitch tonight, but in the absence of names that have so frequently started of late, De Stefano highlights the weakness of Tottenham's defence.
"So it's Pato's moment. After a few problems to begin with, he now seems to have improved his understanding with Ibrahimovic. Allegri is convinced that they just need to play together a bit more and that the match against Tottenham will be the right moment to see just how far they have come along.
"The Spurs defence is not reckoned to be playing very well. AC Milan with the physical presence of Ibra and the speed of Pato must take advantage of this as the return match in the cauldron of White Hart Lane will not be easy."
The game in numbers
Fosuc is on numbers at the Corriere dell Sport – and they're going in Milan's favour. Alberto Polverosi points out that tonight represents Milan's 16th draw against a British team in the latter stage sof the competition, eight of which have ended in victories, five in draws and just two defeats – Manchester United last season and Arsenal in 2008.
On the flip side he points out that opponents Spurs do not have a favourable record in Italy. No wins, one draw and two defeats.
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