“Bitter” Crouch says he has ’some unfinished business’ with AC Milan

LONDON - Tottenham striker Peter Crouch is desperate to play despite battling back problem in order to overcome bitter memories of the 2007 Champions League final against AC Milan.

The extra motivation for the striker is the trauma of not having been given a chance to play in the 2007 Champions League final, when he was a member of the Liverpool squad, which lost 2-1 in Athens.

Crouch said: “Looking back, it was an achievement to get to the final and I’m very proud we did that - but I was very angry and disappointed not to start.”

“I’d scored seven in the Champions League that year, was our top scorer in all competitions and I felt good. I was expecting to play and was really disappointed when I found I was on the bench,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

“I genuinely believe that, although Milan were a fantastic team, we could have beaten them so it was frustrating that I didn’t get more of a chance. It was still a great achievement to get to the final with the players and the teams that are in the Champions League. But the loser’s medal isn’t quite what you are looking for,” Crouch said.

“I have the medal on display but it’s tucked in behind the FA Cup winner’s medal I got when we beat West Ham the year before. It’s true I look back on it with regrets. I think we could have won it and it still hurts that I didn’t get enough chance on the pitch. There’s some unfinished business for me against them, without a doubt,” he said.

Tottenham is Champions League outsiders ahead of tonight’s last-16 first-leg clash in Italy, with the return at White Hart Lane on March 9. (ANI)