Tottenham Hotspur 'Optimistic' Harry Kane Will Return for Real Madrid UCL Clash

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly "optimistic" star striker Harry Kane will be back fit to face European champions Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League group-stage encounter at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday.

Spurs clinched a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in their previous Champions League outing and are hopeful Kane will return from his hamstring complaint, reported the London Evening Standard.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino said after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United:

"With the doctors and the player, we will take the best decision for everyone. It's not the last game or the final where you would say, 'OK, after that it's holidays'.

"We must analyse and take the best decision for everyone.

"We will assess him and then we will make the best decision. My feeling is good. But it's not my feeling, it's Harry Kane's feeling."

Tottenham have lost their second and third games of the season during Kane's time out of action—to West Ham United in the Carabao Cup and Manchester United in the league—leading to calls Spurs rely too heavily on Kane.

However, BT Sport Score pundits John Hartson and Chris Sutton recently gave some alternative views on the matter:

Tottenham are currently top of Champions League Group H, level on points and goal difference with Real Madrid, meaning Wednesday's London meeting could decide who emerges at the summit.

Saturday's loss at Old Trafford also worsened Pochettino's managerial record in England against the Premier League's big guns, and Spanish titans Real will be no pushovers, either, per BBC 5 live Sport:

Tottenham have experimented with summer signing Fernando Llorente and South Korea international Heung-Min Son in an advanced forward role in Kane's absence, but neither have managed to score in that time.

News of Kane's encouraging recovery will be welcomed by the Wembley hosts, who have lost the rhythm established earlier in the campaign without him in the squad.