Gareth Bale will sit out Tottenham’s Champions League last-16 first-leg match against Ac Milan on Tuesday after failing to recover from a back injury.
The Welshman, who has been a revelation for Spurs in the past year, did not travel with the squad to Italy on Monday despite hopes he might be fit.
That will mean another chance for the rejuvenated Niko Kranjcar, while Rafael van der Vaart (calf) will also play.
Peter Crouch (back) is a doubt, though, as is Luka Modric (appendicitis).
It means boss Harry Redknapp’s side could line up at the San Siro with something resembling a skeleton first XI, with long-term absentees Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King and Younes Kaboul, as well as the suspended Jermaine Jenas, also unavailable.
Serie A leaders Ac Milan will be without ineligible January signings Antonio Cassano, Mark van Bommel and Urby Emanuelson.
That would mean coach Massimiliano Allegri deploying a three-man front line of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato, with few attacking options on the bench and key midfield duo Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini also out through injury.
