Villas-Boas thrilled with Bale display

9 February 2013 18:54

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has compared Gareth Bale to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bale continued his brilliant form this season with two goals in Spurs' 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday to take his league tally for the season to 13.

The 23-year-old's performances have attracted interest from European giants including Real Madrid, but Villas-Boas believes Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will do everything to keep the club's star man.

"Great teams are made of great individuals too," Villas-Boas said. "Gareth has been decisive and I'm happy to see him enjoying his football - but it's unfair to say we rely on him.

"Most teams have to hang on to their best players. Barcelona losing Messi would be a disaster, Real Madrid losing Ronaldo would be a disaster.

"There are no release clauses at English clubs and it's very difficult to negotiate with Tottenham - as you know."

Spurs would demand at least 50 million pounds for the attacker, who has featured in a more central role in recent weeks.

Villas-Boas has said Tottenham must qualify for next season's Champions League to have any chance of keeping Bale and he was delighted with his side's hard-fought victory over Newcastle.

The Portuguese manager dedicated the win to goalkeeping coach Tony Parks and his son Joe, who was seriously injured in a car accident this week.

"We have done our job today and closed one more league game to the end of the season. We worked exceptionally hard," he said.

"It's a win we want to dedicate to Joe Parks, who is in a coma after a car crash."

Newcastle confirmed France international Yoan Gouffran did not break his leg, after the goalscorer was carried off following an innocuous clash with Kyle Walker.

A club statement read: "Newcastle United are pleased to report that a precautionary X-ray has shown that Yoan Gouffran has not broken his right leg.

"The French forward was stretchered off during the second half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, and Gouffran will be further assessed on Sunday by the club's medical staff."