Take that: Tottenham expect beaten Inter Milan to be punished over fans' racist chanting
“It was very, very easy to hear. I’m
sure UEFA will act on it" says AVB after Adebayor answers terrace abuse
with Europa League tie's vital goal
Michael Regan
From Darren Lewis in Milan
Emmanuel
Adebayor hit a priceless away goal to rescue Tottenham from Europa
League humiliation – and silence the San Siro racists.
The
Togo striker endured monkey chants and had an inflatable banana waved
at him by Inter Milan fans as Spurs squeezed into the quarter-finals on
away goals despite losing 4-1 in Italy.
Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas said: “It was very, very easy to hear the chanting so I’m sure UEFA will act on it.”
Adebayor’s goal, six minutes into extra time, prevented Inter from completing an astonishing comeback.
Villas-Boas
added of the racism: “It’s very difficult for Inter Milan, because it’s
happened before. It doesn’t mar the game but it’s something that should
not have happened.”
Such incidents have been a depressing part of Spurs' European adventure this season, with group-phase rivals Lazio fined for fans' abusive chants at White Hart and travelling Tottenham supporters attacked in Rome before the return fixture and also in the French city of Lyon.
The Londoners saw their 3-0 first-leg lead blown apart by Antonio Cassano, Rodrigo Palacio, substitute Ricky Alvarez and also conceded a William Gallas own-goal.Cassano also hit the bar and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso blew the chance to win the tie for the Italian club in the final minute of normal time.
But Spurs go into Friday's quarter-final draw, alongside fellow Premier League sides Chelsea and Newcastle.
Villas-Boas added: “Every goal was a boost of motivation for them and knife in the back for us.
“It’s a good lesson for us. We have played teams like Lazio, Lyon and Inter. It’s fantastic satisfaction and achievement to be in the quarters.
“Did I feel fear? I always believed in my players, so I can’t really indicate a particular moment.
“We had a couple of great chances but, in the end, we got that key away goal in extra-time.
“I didn’t underestimate the task we had tonight and I don’t think the players did either. I spoke to a couple of Inter players before and their manager, Andrea Stramaccioni.
“I decided it’s the mind of the players that count. I don’t think we lacked fitness; just as Inter didn’t lack fitness last week.
“We took a risk. We can’t be a team that we don’t feel well with. We tried to get a goal away that would put us in an extremely confident position.
‘I think what happened to us was what happened to Inter in London. They are not as bad as their performance in London and we’re not as a bad as the performance showed today.
‘The desire to reach the last eight of the competition was always there, even in extra-time, which is an excellent sign for us.” ------- Mirror Football
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