Rafa to Spur Tottenham's Champions League Bid
The Champions League returns tonight with one of the most anticipated matches of the quarter final draw! Champions League new-comers Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Santiago BernabÉu to face the might of Real Madrid in the aftermath of Mourinho's first home defeat in nine years. Tottenham will be looking to make history and certainly have the talent to do so.
There is one man in particular who has helped lift Spurs into the spotlight since his arrival last year. Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that former Real Madrid star Rafael van der Vaart is the key ingredient in Spurs' success this season.
The CTR360 wearer, who will give his new White/Black/Yellow CTR boots their Champions League debut tonight, was snapped up by Harry Redknapp at the start of the season after being deemed surplus to requirements at the BernabÉu by JosÉ Mourinho. The Dutchman now has a chance to show the "Special One" that he made a mistake by letting him go.
He bagged 11 goals in 58 league appearances for the Spanish team and has gone on to make 21 Premier League appearances, scoring 10 times. Between Premier League and Champions League this season, Spurs have won 56% of matches with van der Vaart in the team while they have only won 25% when he has been absent.
If Tottenham are to leave the Bernabeu tonight with a vital away goal, Van der Vaart's partnership with Peter Crouch will be crucial. A key part of the club s success this season has been down to the strike partnership of Van der Vaart and Peter Crouch. The North Londoners have ripped through much of their competition so far, scoring 11 away goals in just five games. A stat Real Madrid manager JosÉ Mourinho will be well aware of!
Playing under the bright lights of the BernabÉu in Madrid will be a new experience for the Londoners and Van der Vaart's big match experience will be important for Spurs in their endeavour to upset the odds.
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