Tottenham’s Peter Crouch: West Ham and Wigan games as important as the Real Madrid tie right now

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Tottenham may have been put against one of Europe’s most feared sides in the Champions League quarter-finals, but striker Peter Crouch insists the club’s upcoming domestic challenges are bigger games right now than their clashes with Real Madrid.

The London side find themselves facing Jose Mourinho’s men after dismissing Italian side AC Milan in the last 16 of the competition, but Crouch says the team are more focused on making sure they can reach next season’s tournament by sealing a spot in the top four.

The striker told Absolute Radio: “It’s so important now in the Premier League, because we love being in the Champions League. The manager, all of us, we’re switched on to know what we have to do now, we have to finish in the top four. 

“The fans love it, the players love it, and we love being a part of it, so that’s what we’ve got to do. Wigan, West Ham, these games coming up are so important to us because that’s what we want to be doing.

“We are thinking about West Ham now. We’ve got one eye on the draw, of course, because it’s so big, the fans love it and the players are all excited by it, we’re really looking forward to seeing where we get.

“Obviously it’s our first time in the Champions League this year, but we’re loving every minute of it. I think it’s important obviously that our league form is good as well because we want loads more of it next year.”

Spurs only narrowly got through to the quarter-finals against Serie A leaders AC Milan with Crouch getting the sole goal of the tie at the San Siro. The second leg at White Hart Lane was a nervous affair that left the London side defending for most of the game as they battled to keep their European hopes alive.

Crouch accepts that Spurs sat back in the game but had had plenty of praise for the defenders who dealt with the Italian giants.

He added: “In the manager’s thinking, he always wants to go out there and win games and score goals.

“I think at the back of your mind, when you’ve got a goal from the first leg, you sort of sit back without knowing it really, and that’s why we invited them on a little bit, but I think it was a great all-round defensive performance.

“I thought we defended fantastically well, resilient, and the manager obviously was really pleased afterwards.”

As well as the draw for the last eight being announced, the possible ties for the semi-finals were also pulled out of the hat, and Spurs could face more Iberian competition if they progress as they will meet Barcelona should Pep Guardiola’s side see off Shakhtar Donetsk.

However, the 31-year-old is keeping positive and insists Spurs can challenge anyone who comes their way, but wouldn’t take an opponent such as the Spanish champions lightly after they dismantled Arsenal in the knockout stages.

“They were unbelievable,” he said. “Honestly, I’ve never seen football like it, it was unbelievable.

“I think Inter Milan did a job on them last year and I think it can be done, without a doubt, and I think at White Hart Lane I genuinely believe we can beat anyone. 

“I think we’ve got enough attacking players in our team to score goals anywhere, and you wouldn’t write us off I’d say against Barcelona, but on the day they’ll take some beating.”