Rafael van der Vaart Tottenham Hotspur Milan Rafael van der Vaart has not played for Tottenham since the Champions League knockout round first leg in Milan. Photograph: Paul Hackett/Reuters
Tottenham Hotspur will welcome their leading scorers Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale back to their starting line-up for Wednesday's second leg of their Champions League knockout tie against Milan, though their Italian opponents are more wary of the considerable threat posed by Peter Crouch at White Hart Lane.
The England forward got the only goal at San Siro and unnerved the Serie A leaders to the extent that Thiago Silva, the Rossoneri's Brazilian centre-half, has claimed Crouch is "the strongest player I have marked in the Champions League". Those sentiments are shared by Robinho, previously at Manchester City, even if he retains hope Spurs' 1-0 advantage from the first leg can be overturned.
