Champions League: Tottenham Hotspur Match Up Well to Upset Real Madrid

Injuries look to be set to a premium for Tottenham's trip to the Santiago Bernabeau next week.

On Tuesday, Tottenham will travel to Spain with, at best, three fit central defenders while Real Madrid are suffering an even bigger blow with over £100 million worth of players already ruled out.

In true Madrid fashion however, that £100 million equates to three players. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Marcelo have all been ruled out of the Champions League quarterfinal first leg.

Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has a history of lying to the media ahead of big Champions League encounters. He once ruled Damien Duff out of a trip to the Nou Camp by naming his team 24 hours prematurely, but, sure enough, Duff started the next day.

Irrespective of that fact and presuming that the trio will not play, you'll be surprised as to who is the biggest loss for the team.

Losing left back Marcelo could be pivotal for Tottenham's chances at progressing. 

Yes, he may be the least talented of the trio and his reported price tag of £6.5 million is barely a fraction of the others, but he would have had the biggest role to play against Spurs.

Marcelo is a left back, but he is a left back as much as you would say Daniel Alves is a right back for Barcelona. Realistically, he is a poor defender. Much like another famous Brazilian, Roberto Carlos, who played for Real, Marcelo is in the team for his attacking abilities.

In fact, before the summer arrivals of messrs Mezut Ozil and Angel Di Maria, he played predominantly as a left midfielder under Manuel Pellegrini.

Jose Mourinho has become a fan of the 22-year-old Brazilian as he has started every league game to this point as well as picking up the man of the match award during the last round against Lyon.

It is vital to have top class fullbacks when playing against Tottenham.

Harry Redknapp is not likely to go on the offensive in Madrid, but do expect his team to be aggressive in looking to hit Madrid on the counter.

Should Gareth Bale recover from his hamstring injury, he and right winger Aaron Lennon, will likely be too much to handle for Sergio Ramos and Alvaro Arbeloa, the Spanish international who is likely to start in Marcelo's place.

Even if Marcelo is fit, he will struggle to deal with Lennon but, the one thing that Marcelo has over his Spanish teammate is pace in abundance. Arbeloa is a smart defender, but when left one-on-one with Lennon on the counter, he has no chance of stopping the former Leeds United player.

Lennon is a speedster that can skin the fastest of fullbacks even though he does not get the media attention of Gareth Bale on the opposite flank. It was he who set up Peter Crouch's, ultimately tie-winning, goal in the San Siro against AC Milan.

Not to overlook Bale, the Welsh wizard of the wing should be able to get the better of Sergio Ramos if he is fully fit.

Ramos is an extremely talented footballer but lacks intelligence when on the ball and realistically is a central defender playing right back. He also would struggle to stay with his man in a straight sprint.

Bale should be able to expose Ramos in a similar fashion to when he exposed Maicon in the group stage. That is, of course, providing that his hamstring is fully healthy in time for kickoff.

Another man who has struggled with his fitness throughout the year is Rafael Van Der Vaart. The Dutchman, who is a former Madrid player, will be more determined than ever to prove his ex-employers wrong when he takes to the field at the Bernabeau.

Real Madrid may have the mercurial Mesut Ozil, who has been playing great football, but Van Der Vaart has proved to be just as valuable for Tottenham as his replacement has been in Madrid.

Madrid probably do not regret letting Van Der Vaart go because of Ozil's performances and the fact that he is younger. However, had they known that they would have to face him again with how well he has payed this year, they may have thought twice about accepting the North London club's bid during the summer.

That is one of the most intriguing things about this matchup. Both clubs have vastly influential midfielders in their teams and not just one on each side!

Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso will need a ball each if they are going to be happy at the end of 90 minutes. Lassana Diarra and Sandro may be selected as defensive midfielders, but that does not mean they are limited in possession.

It may come as a surprise to most readers when I say that the Tottenham and Real Madrid midfields are very evenly matched, but realistically, there is not much separating either side. Real Madrid's players may have greater reputations, but crucially, Tottenham have the talent to play with or even outplay them in their own stadium.

For this very reason, it is going to be vital for Madrid to shut down Lennon and Bale, should the Welshman play. Any loose balls in the Bernabeau won't be hacked away, like a lesser La Liga side often does, the ball will be played into the feet of the duo on the flanks who could carve the Madrid defense to pieces.

Tottenham will have their own worries in defense, but the loss of Benzema and Ronaldo, coupled with the fact that Gonzalo Higuain is only returning from a lengthy layoff, should soften the blow.

Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong or Vedran Corluka are the probable starters for Spurs. Each of these players will much prefer to see Emmanuel Adebayor lining up for Madrid rather than the any of the more agile trio that are missing.

Adebayor is not too dissimilar to Zlatan Ibrahimovic who the team kept scoreless during the last round. If anything, he is that bit better than the Swede but not substantially.

Maybe I'm a dreamer, the world does need dreamers or life would be boring, but Tottenham wouldn't be the first supposed underdog to go to Madrid and come away with a victory. In recent years, Yossi Benayoun gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory in the Bernabeau while Thierry Henry led Arsenal passed the Spanish giants in 2006.

Why can't Harry Redknapp's men become the third English team ever to win in the Santiago Bernabeau against Real Madrid? 

Tottenham may be entering the "Lion's cave" but they shouldn't fear facing the "former" King of the Jungle.