Rafael Van Der Vaart To Miss Tottenham's Visit To Blackpool After Aggravating Calf Injury In Training

Rafael Van Der Vaart To Miss Tottenham's Visit To Blackpool Match After Aggravating Calf Injury In Training

Tottenham Hotspur will be without Rafael van der Vaart Tuesday at Bloomfield Road after the attacker suffered an injury setback in training. Although it appeared van der Vaart was approaching recovery from a calf problem after starting last Tuesday at Milan, the ailment was aggravated on Monday, leaving Harry Redknapp without his leading goal scorer against Blackpool.

Van der Vaart went 62 minutes Tuesday in Spurs' 1-0 Champions League victory at Serie A-leading Milan. He had been left out of the preceding Saturday's match, a 2-1 win at Sunderland, but has been able to play through most of his injury problems.

Now van der Vaart is set to miss a second match in three, an absence Redknapp sees a "blow."

Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, said: "Rafa did his calf again yesterday in training so he's struggling. [He] missed a couple of games, played in Milan [in the 1-0 win in the Champions League last-16 first leg], got through 70 minutes and then yesterday morning didn't feel good. It's a blow, he's a fantastic player. We need him but we can't get that run out of him."

Van der Vaart has 10 goals in 19 league appearances in his first season with Tottenham. Spurs second-leading scorer, Gareth Bale (seven), is also likely to miss Tuesday's match with a back injury.