Bale injury blow for Spurs

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas was remaining cautiously optimistic over the injury to star winger Gareth Bale.

Bale was stretchered off during Thursday’s Europa League 2-2 draw with FC Basel at White Hart Lane.

The Welsh winger fell heavily on his right ankle after a challenge from David Degen and was taken straight down the tunnel in agony, with his head in his hands.

But Villas-Boas does not believe the injury is season ending.

“Obviously he has rolled over his ankle and we still need to get an assessment that we can only have tomorrow,” he said.

“It shouldn’t be as bad as it looks in the images because Gareth has torn that ankle before and there is nothing to tear now.

“There is lots of swelling – the pain is big but we hope to assess him tomorrow.”

Villas-Boas was also remaining upbeat despite sharing the spoils with their Swiss opponents.

“We limited the damage coming from 2-0 down to make it 2-2 to put us back into the possibility of still going through,” he said.

“So bearing in mind with the advantage Basel has, in the end with all the negatives there is the positive that we are still in the tie and we can go from home trying to progress.”

Spurs need Bale to be fit as they face crucial clashes with Everton and Manchester City in their quest to finish in the Premier League’s top four, either side of the return leg in Switzerland.