Why Spurs Have No Option but to Risk Bale

Having injured his ankle earlier this month, Bale was not expected to return any soon. However, manager Villas Boas is confident that the Welsh winger might be available against Manchester City. The star player might not be fully fit but perhaps Spurs have no option but to risk Bale tomorrow.
For now Arsenal and Chelsea are favorites to qualify for the Champions League as Tottenham have been in torrid form lately and their fixtures are not getting any easier as well. Spurs have lost their last 4 league games against the champions and odds are against them even at White Hart Lane.
Having scored 17 league goals and 22 in all competitions this season, Bale has run the show at Tottenham by single handedly winning games thanks to his brilliant performances. Deservedly, Bale has been shortlisted for Player of the Year prize.
Anrde Villas-Boas’s men have only won once in their last 7 fixtures that was against Swansea and without their talisman, Spurs become relatively very weak and completely a different side.
Without him, Tottenham have only drawn 2 games and thankfully did not face Chelsea as the blues were busy in the FA cup or else they were never favorites facing Benitez’s side at Stamford Bridge that too in the absence of Bale.
Spurs fans feared the worst that Bale might not feature again for them when he was being taken off the field injured against Basel. He will be back in the white shirt but the question is, for how long? If Spurs fail to qualify for the Champions league again, they are likely to lose Bale in the upcoming transfer window.
Villas Boas knows that if he does not risk Bale against City, then the chances of beating the sky blues will diminish, will hurt their champions league pursuit even more and to mention again that Bale’s departure might just be inevitable.
Currently, Spurs are 5th in the premier league, only two points behind 4th place Arsenal with a game in hand. However, Arsenal have relatively easy fixtures ahead and if they beat Fulham today and Spurs fail to beat City tomorrow then a Europa league place becomes more likely.
Adding to that, Tottenham have to face their postponed fixture against Chelsea away as well who for now occupy third place and are three points ahead of Spurs. For worst, if they don’t win or Bale gets injured again then Spurs fans may have to see their side fail to qualify for Europe’s elite competition for another year.
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