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Tottenham will not die wondering in the Champions League with manager Harry Redknapp pledging an attacking mindset against AC Milan.

Spurs face the Italian giants at the San Siro on Tuesday in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash as they look to secure a place in the quarter finals of Europe’s premier club competition for just the second time.

The north Londoners were the joint-top scorers during the group stage this season, and Redknapp said they would continue to attack against Milan.

“Attacking football is what got us here in the first place,” said Redknapp.

“We have had a go all through this competition so we will have a right go again at San Siro.”

“We can score here. I don’t want to concede bags of goals for sure. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes (as we made against Inter) and can’t start like that again.”

“But as far as shutting up shop goes it’s a non-starter because we don’t have the players here.”

It will be an injury-hit Spurs side which lines up at the San Siro following the news winger Gareth Bale would be unavailable because of a back injury.

Central midfielder Luka Modric is also missing, as are Jermaine Jenas, Younes Kaboul, Tom Huddlestone and Ledley King.

In better news for Redknapp, striker Peter Crouch (back) and forward Rafael van der Vaart (calf) have been deemed fit to play.

“We can’t come out and be completely gung-ho but what I’m saying is that I do have a problem setting a team up to defend,” explained Redknapp.

“Rafael van der Vaart plays the way he plays. Niko Kranjcar and (Aaron) Lennon – we haven’t got defensive players to play with five across midfield and soak it up.”

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“If I had two wide men who could do a job and sit there and just be solid, I might think about it. But those type of players are not at this club.”

“The only two midfielders we have who are fit are Sandro and (Wilson) Palacios for the middle of the park. There is no one else.”

“Sandro is not a Luka Modric, he plays differently. He has hardly been in my team all year. It’s a big ask but he is up for it.”

Manchester United have decided against signing a replacement for reserve goalkeeper Ben Foster, who was sold last month to Birmingham City last month, choosing instead to use Tomasz Kuszczak as Edwin van der Sar's understudy and 20-year-old prospect Ben Amos as their third-choice shot-stopper.

Former West Brom keeper Kuszczak was arguably the number two in the season just gone, playing 14 games to Foster's 13, but the announcement that Amos is to be his back-up puts extra pressure on the Poland international and will have United fans monitoring van der Sar's fitness intently.

United's goalkeeping coach, Eric Steele, has backed Amos to progress next season, telling the official club website:"We'vethrown the gauntlet down, so it's up to him now to fulfil his potential.

"The challenge is for us to continue his development, but also for him to take the opportunity and make the most of it.

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"Hopefully he might gain some experience and exposure in matches like the pre-season friendlies and the Carling Cup. That's probably a realistic target for 2010-11."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has labelled his side’s 4-3 defeat to Blackburn on Saturday as worse than their 8-2 humiliation to Manchester United, and has stated The Gunners must improve.

The Emirates outfit were defeated by struggling Blackburn, which cancelled out the positive performance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek, and Wenger is lost for explanations after the loss.

“There are no excuses,” he told The Daily Mail.

“We dominated but in our weak moments we were not strong enough to resist. This is not more humiliating (than United). They are two different results. It is more frustrating because we had the potential to win,” he stated.

Arsenal have now conceded the most goals in the division, 14 from five games, and pressure is mounting on the French coach to turn the slump around.

The Gunners are already eleven points behind Premier League leaders United, and pundits are writing the London side’s chances of a top four finish off.

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Arsenal take on Shrewsbury in the League Cup on Tuesday night, before hosting Bolton at the Emirates next Saturday.

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Blackburn Rovers hope to welcome back club captain Ryan Nelsen to their squad for Wednesday’s meeting with Tottenham at Ewood Park.

The New Zealand defender, who recently committed his future to the English Premier League club, has returned to training after shaking off the knee injury which ruled him out of Rovers’ last two games.

Manager Steve Kean will be without star striker Roque Santa Cruz, however, after the Paraguay international limped out of Saturday’s FA Cup defeat away to Aston Villa.

On-loan Manchester City man Santa Cruz suffered a groin strain in the early exchanges at Villa Park and is expected to be out of action for up to two weeks.

Gael Givet is also likely to miss out with a groin problem he picked up in training.

The French full-back will have a late fitness test before being considered for selection.

Rovers are bolstered by the return of Brett Emerton after his Asian Cup duties with Australia came to an end, while fellow midfield trio Steven Nzonzi, Keith Andrews and Vince Grella will all be hoping to get more match time under their belts after lengthy lay-offs.

New signings Mauro Formica and Ruben Rochina – who agreed long-term deadline day deals from Argentina outfit Newell’s Old Boys and La Liga powerhouse Barcelona respectively – are not expected to feature due to a lack of match practice.

“I’ve got a big squad and a lot of selection issues to deal with as we go in search of a fourth-straight home win,” said Kean, whose side has beaten West Brom, QPR and Liverpool in their last three games at Ewood Park.

“I went to see Tottenham in action at Fulham the other day (which Spurs lost 4-0) and I would expect (Spurs manager) Harry Redknapp will be looking for a reaction from his side.”

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“So we will have to be wary of that and stand up to the challenge.”

“However, no team gets an easy game at Ewood Park and we will be looking to protect our proud home record.”

“It should be an attacking and exciting game, and one that the players and the fans are all looking forward to.”

Chelsea have made a £5 million bid for Cesar Azpilicueta, but Marseille have rejected the offer according to The Sun.

The Blues are on a mission to revamp their squad this summer and have already brought in some exciting young talent from the continent.

A right-back is said to be on Roman Abramovich’s wishlist, with Jose Bosingwa leaving the side on a free transfer this summer.

Paulo Ferreira is the only recognised right-back at the club currently, and versatility man Branislav Ivanovic would prefer to play centre-half.

Despite considering a move for France international Mathieu Debuchy, the Spanish defender has emerged as the Stamford Bridge club’s number one choice to fill the position.

Marseille are holding out for £8 million for Azpilicueta, and it remains to see whether the Champions League winners will pay the Ligue 1 side’s ransom.

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By Gareth McKnight

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It’s one thing to watch your team play badly, but having to watch them in what can only be described as a major fashion faux pas is just unforgiveable. From clashing colours, to odd pictures and animal-esque designs (yes I’m being deadly serious), football isn’t quite the beautiful game when it comes to designing kits. It appears from my ‘research’ that the 1990’s and Mexico’s keeper Jorge Campos are the main culprits for offending our eyes week in week out, without even so much as an apology. Put some of these on a canvas and we would be comparing them to Picasso’s masterpieces, but on a football pitch on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm, and the game is lost before a ball is even kicked.

To sum up the horrors I have seen, even David Beckham would struggle for sex appeal in these…oh who are we kidding? The guy would easily pull off Tiger stripes.

Click on Stade de Francais to see the worst 20 kits of our time

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Alberto Zapater scored his first Liga Sagres goals as Sporting Lisbon returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Maritimo on Tuesday.

Having been surprise 3-2 losers to Pacos de Ferreira on January 16 in their last league game, Sporting appeared intent on bouncing straight back at Maritimo’s Estadio dos Barreiros.

But despite their ascendancy in the game’s early stages, Sporting had to wait until the 44th minute to take the lead.

Having acquired a taste for goals with his brace in Sporting’s 4-0 Taca de Portugal win over Penafiel on Friday, Zapater picked up where he left off when he arrived late in the box to power Simon Vukcevic’s precise cross past Maritimo goalkeeper Marcelo Boeck.

Zapater arrived at the Lisbon club from Serie A outfit Genoa in July 2010 for two million euros as part of the arrangement that saw Sporting favourite son Miguel Veloso move in the opposite direction.

The former Spain under-21 international is yet to produce his best form in Portugal, but showed he is perhaps settling in his new surroundings when – in the 67th minute – he clinched his second brace for Sporting in as many games.

Zapater took possession in the area after striker Liedson was well tackled, showing composure to feint back onto his left foot before firing home.

Sporting’s three points were made secure when an unmarked Liedson tapped home nine minutes later, ensuring Paulo Sergio’s side maintained its three-point buffer in third over Vitoria Guimaraes.

After dubbing the season a rebuilding one in the wake of several key departures, Sporting’s campaign has slowly gathered steam.

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They remain eight points back from second-placed Lisbon rivals Benfica and still a whopping 16 points off league-leaders Porto, but are on track for Europa Cup qualification.

Maritimo’s loss keeps them in 11th place, with a nine-point gap between them and the relegation zone.

Joey Barton has been stripped of the QPR captaincy and fined six wages by his club after an internal investigation into his sending-off on the last day of 2011-12.

The temperamental midfielder was given his marching orders in the Loftus Road outfit’s crucial game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium for elbowing Carlos Tevez; in the aftermath it also looked like he kicked out at Sergio Aguero and tried to headbutt Vincent Kompany.

With Mark Hughes’ men playing for their Premier League lives in the fixture, the club have opted to punish Barton after the ill-discipline.

“QPR FC can confirm Joey Barton has been fined six weeks’ wages and will no longer be club captain,” a statement on the official website reads.

“If Barton seriously breaches the club’s disciplinary procedures again, the club reserves the right to terminate his contract.”

The player has already been given a 12-match ban for the incident by the FA, and was full of remorse for his actions but has vowed to come back stronger than ever next season.

“I was reckless and deserved every punishment I received,” he commented on Twitter.

“Money comes and goes, it’s not important to me. Losing the captaincy and missing twelve games, is what really hurts.

“I was stupid and that what happens when u do dumb things. I am confident ill bounce back. Cannot wait.

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“That’s all I have to say on the matter. I wish to put it behind me now and help QPR, once available of course, push on towards the top half,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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New Palmeiras striker Maikon Leite is ready to take the Brazil Serie A by storm after serious injury blighted the start of his career.The 22-year-old was beginning to make an impression at Santos when he badly damaged his knee in a league match three years ago.

On his return to fitness, Leite spent part of 2010 on loan at Atletico Paranaense, before beginning to force his way back into contention at Santos.

He scored seven goals in fourteen matches last season, as the Sao Paulo-based outfit clinched the 2011 Paulista and Copa Libertadores titles.

Despite his encouraging contribution, Leite was allowed to sign a pre-contract agreement with cross-city rivals Palmeiras in January, before joining on a five-year deal.

“In 2008 I just arrived at Santos, had played 11 games, I remember to this day,” he said.

“I was on the rise in football, people were getting to know Maikon Leite, then came the injury.”

“So people ended up getting to know me for the injury instead of titles and goals.”

But with two goals in his first three matches at Palmeiras, Leite is now starting to attract attention for the right reasons.

“Two titles for Santos this year and when I came to Palmeiras I scored a goal on my debut. I feel good,” he said.

Just one month after Leite’s arrival, his number seven shirt was already the best selling item in the club shop.

And if he can stay fit, the striker has every chance of fulfilling his potential under World Cup-winning coach Luis Felipe Scolari.

Palmeiras, fourth in the league table, are in action away to Coritiba on Thursday.

Manchester City have offloaded out-of-favour striker Emmanuel Adebayor in a loan deal with La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Adebayor, 26, will join Real for the remainder of the season, with an option for a 14.5 million pound transfer in the close season.

“We can confirm that the club has agreed to loan Emmanuel Adebayor to Real Madrid for the rest of the season,” a statement on City’s website said.

“The player will travel to Spain on Wednesday to have a medical. Madrid have an option to purchase the 26-year-old at the end of his temporary spell in the Spanish capital.”

City’s reluctance to contribute to the player’s wages are understood to have delayed his departure.

But with Gonzalo Higuain ruled out for up to three months, Real’s desperate need for a centre forward has forced them to pay all of Adebayor’s reported 165,000 pound-a-week salary.

Their failure to secure the return of Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Hamburg also contributed to the decision to bring in Adebayor.

The deal represents a victory of sorts for coach Jose Mourinho, who has been at loggerheads with director of football Jorge Valdano over the need for striking reinforcements.

Adebayor joined English Premier League outfit City from Arsenal in July 2009 for a fee believed to be approximately 25 million pounds.

He scored 19 goals in 35 appearances for the club, but has fallen behind new arrivals Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko in the battle to partner captain Carlos Tevez in attack.

The former Togo international becomes the latest purchase of former City manager Mark Hughes to leave the club, with full-back Wayne Bridge and underused front-man Roque Santa Cruz also departing.

Shaun Wright-Phillips is understood to be next in line for an exit.

Adebayor will be available to play in the Champions League with Real despite featuring in the Europa League earlier this season.

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No stranger to controversy in his short career, he may test Mourinho’s famed man-management skills upon his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu.

After alienating Arsenal fans by agitating for a move away from the club during his final two seasons in north London, he enraged them further by celebrating provocatively upon scoring for City against the Gunners shortly after his departure.

In the same match, he was pictured raking his studs down the face of former teammate Robin van Persie.

After numerous rows with his national FA, he retired from international duty following a fatal gun attack on the Togo team bus during the 2010 African Cup of Nations.