Gareth Bale could be ready to play for Tottenham against Milan

Harry Redknapp is hoping to have Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart fit to face Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night but Luka Modric's chances of involvement look increasingly slim. It had been thought that a back injury would rule Bale out of the latest episode in Tottenham's Champions League adventure but their manager seemed cautiously optimistic about the winger's progress following yesterday's 2-1 win at Sunderland. Asked to clarify earlier comments which had suggested Tottenham's left-sided catalyst would definitely be sidelined, Redknapp replied: "No, I'll be honest with you, not for sure. I don't know but the specialist thinks Gareth should be OK. If he feels right tomorrow I'd like to think he'd be out there giving it a go. He caused so many problems for Inter didn't he? Everyone who saw that game always asks about Gareth Bale now." That was a reference to Bale's hat-trick against Inter at San Siro in the Champions League group stage and the Welshman's return from a back injury suffered at Newcastle last month would be a huge psychological boost. But Redknapp is sweating on the fitness of another key creator, Van der Vaart. The Dutchman has been struggling with a calf strain but, again, his manager appeared quietly confident that he may play some part in Milan. "I have got to wait and see how Rafa is," said Redknapp. "He could be OK." Modric's playmaking skills are arguably more important to Spurs than the inputs of Van der Vaart and even Bale but Redknapp holds out little hope of the Croat being ready to play again so soon after having his appendix removed. "Luka could be just a bit short," he said. "It's only nine or 10 days ago that he had the operation. I don't think he'll play." Whatever his starting line-up, Redknapp is anything but daunted as he approaches Tuesday's first leg. "It will be interesting," he said. "We have got to stay in the tie. We've got to make sure we come back to Tottenham with a chance of winning. It will be a big night for us. "It is a good game for us, we got a good draw with Milan. I would rather have them than Copenhagen. I thought that would have been a banana skin. But Milan is a massive club, a great game to look forward to, and if we can make sure we are still in the tie when they come back to White Hart Lane it will be another great night. Milan have a lot of great players, they are a good side but they are not unbeatable. Over the two legs we have a good chance."