Rafael van der Vaart(credit:
flierfy)
Rafael van der Vaart insists he has nothing to prove when Tottenham take on Real Madrid tonight.
The Holland international made a surprise switch from the Bernabeu to White Hart Lane last summer and has been handed a quick return to his old stomping ground with the two teams having reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
But van der Vaart maintains there is no ill-feeling on his part and claims he is not driven to prove them wrong over his sale.
Speaking ahead of the first leg at the Bernabeu, he said: “I don't have bad feelings towards Real or feel like I have to prove them wrong. I'm a Tottenham player now and I want to win.
“I had a great time here. I'm proud to have played for Real Madrid but I left for London and I'm happy there.
“I miss Madrid sometimes. I miss the weather and the lifestyle but I'm really happy at Tottenham. It's a fantastic club and I love the Premier League too.”
Few are giving Tottenham a chance of continuing their surprise run into the semi-finals, but van der Vaart is confident the London club can get the better of the Spanish giants.
He added: “We need a goal to get through and we want to score and attack. My feelings say we have a good chance.
“We did fantastically well to get to the quarter-finals and now we're playing against the biggest team in the world. We have nothing to lose.”