Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas will have to do without Jermain Defoe for the Europa League quarterfinal first leg against FC Basel, after the striker was ruled out for the next two weeks with a muscle injury.
Spurs have been riding on the form of Gareth Bale in the latter part of the season, and have struggled for goals from their strikers. Defoe has tailed off after a good start to the season, but is still seen as the better option to Emmanuel Adebayor, who is having a woeful time in front of goal.
"Jermain has a muscle injury and is out for the next two games, maybe Basel away too," Villas-Boas said. "It is a big blow. It is the same muscle he had a small tear in last month. He is a big miss as he has shown tremendous quality this season.
"Dempsey and Bale have played up front. We've had periods where strikers have been injured -- sometimes we have coped, sometimes not so well. Gareth is confident playing as a striker and we are getting the best out of him.
"Adebayor has been helping the team but not scoring as much. He links the team up, so has adapted to doing something different, sometimes at the expense of goals. We have kept faith and will try to help him."
Spurs start favorites in the last-eight tie, but Villas-Boas believes Basel's greater experience in Europe might work in the Swiss club's favor.
"They have European experience that we don't, and had tremendous results against sides like Manchester United, Sporting and Bayern," Villas-Boas added. "It is difficult now as all eight teams believe they can win the trophy.
"The key will be teams' motivation and the quality of individuals -- we have superior players but they have experience. They have played in the Champions League and have a team of regular trophy winners. Recent experience makes them one of the favorites. They put out Zenit (in the last 16) so we expect a tough game."
Basel will have to do without Park Joo Hoo, Philipp Degen and Marcelo Diaz, with all three suspended.
To watch Tottenham vs FC Basel Live Stream for U.S. viewers, click here.
Viewers in the U.K. can click here.
Expected lineups: Tottenham: Friedel; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Parker, Dembele; Lennon, Dempsey, Holtby; Bale.
Basel: Sommer; Steinhofer, Schar, Sauro, Dragovic; Yapi Yapo, F. Frei; D. Degen, Stocker, A. Frei; Streller.
Prediction: 2-0 to Tottenham
