Harry Redknapp insists Tottenham can produce a miracle comeback against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Thursday morning (AEST).
Redknapp's side has been widely written off after losing the first leg 4-0 in Madrid last week and it would take the biggest revival in Champions League history to reach the semi-finals.
No team has ever bounced back from such a large first-leg deficit and a tactically astute coach like Real's Jose Mourinho will make it even harder for Spurs to defy the odds at White Hart Lane.
But, while Redknapp acknowledges the size of the task facing his team, the Tottenham boss is adamant it would be wrong to write his team off completely.
"We are in a situation where everybody feels the tie is over. It will take a miracle but miracles can happen," Redknapp said.
"I went to see Fulham play Juventus in the Europa League last season. They were 3-1 down from the first leg and conceded another goal in the second leg but still came back to win.
"It was one of the great games I've seen and showed anything is possible. If we play well you never know what can happen.
"It's a fantastic game to look forward to. Obviously we would like to be in a position where the score is a lot closer but the first leg didn't go our way for reasons we all know.
"As long as we give it our best shot I can't ask any more. We have to turn in a good performance and see how it develops.
"Hopefully we can make a real game of it. I will be happy if it goes to penalties, we've been practising!"
However Real coach Jose Mourinho has warned Redknapp that even five goals will not be enough to complete a miraculous escape act.
"We have to respect the opponent but at the same time I don't think five goals is enough for Tottenham to beat us because we are coming here to score goals," Mourinho said.
"I agree completely that miracles can happen. That is why I say we have to respect Tottenham because football sometimes can betray you. You cannot give it the chance to do that."
Redknapp admitted Vedran Corluka faces a late fitness test after the Croatian right-back aggravated an ankle injury in the weekend win over Stoke.
On the plus side, Aaron Lennon trained on Tuesday after recovering from an illness that forced him to pull out of the first leg just minutes before kick-off and the England winger should be fit to start.
Lennon's blistering pace is essential to Redknapp's attacking gameplan, but he has warned his players not to throw caution to the wind too early in case they are caught on the counter-attack.
"People say you have to attack them but you can't be that open when you are playing a team with world-class players," Redknapp said.
"What you don't want is to start bombing everyone forward and get ripped apart on the counter-attack. We have to make sure it is controlled."
-AFP
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