Former Tottenham goalkeeeper Heurelho Gomes says Spurs’ ‘wonderful’ progression past AC Milan in the 2010-10 Champions League was one of his favourite matches from his time at the club.
The former Brazil international spent six seasons at White Hart Lane after sealing a £8million move from PSV in 2008, turning out 130 times for the club before moving to Watford after he had lost his place in the starting XI.
Gomes was between the sticks when Spurs when Spurs finished fourth in the 2009-10 Premier League to seal a place in the follow campaign’s Champions League. The subsequent run to the knockout stages, where AC Milan were dispatched in the last-16 remains one of his career highlights.
“I loved my time at Spurs, and one of my best nights came against Milan in the Champions League,” Gomes told FourFourTwo. “We’d won 1-0 in Italy thanks to a Peter Crouch goal. There was loads of tension at San Siro, with [coach] Joe Jordan and Gennaro Gattuso squaring up on the touchline.
“Back at White Hart Lane, we held on for a goalless draw,” he added. “That was a wonderful achievement for us, as Milan had been successful in recent years. I pulled off a few decent saves that helped us into the quarter-finals against Real Madrid.”
Tottenham’s dream of reaching the Wembley final that season were quickly dashed by a rampant Real Madrid side who claimed a 5-0 aggregate win in the quarter-finals, but that does not appear to have soured Gomes’ memories of that Spurs team.
“I often think about my team-mates in that Spurs side: Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric – all amazing players. Luka is still shining at the highest level for Real and makes football seem simple. It was an honour to play alongside them in my career.”
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