'We have got to show respect' - Vertonghen makes dangerous claim ahead of Tottenham v Real Madrid

By Danny Wright

Jan Vertonghen has dangerously claimed that Tottenham must show Cristiano Ronaldo respect when they face Real Madrid at Wembley on Wednesday night.

Ronaldo is without doubt one of the best players on the planet and has the ability to run riot against Spurs should he be allowed too much time and space.

It's always a risk to show players too much respect, especially with Ronaldo, who has thrived against teams in La Liga and in the Champions League who have let him run amok over the years.

However that hasn't stopped Tottenham centre-back Vertonghen from claiming that he and his team-mates will be very mindful of what the Portugal international star can do in the Champions League clash on Wednesday, but they should be careful of just how much respect they give the ex-Manchester United forward.

"We have got to show respect to Ronaldo, for everything he has won over the years and what he is still doing, and the level he is still playing at," he said, as quoted by Sky Sports.

Tottenham know that they can potentially qualify for the Champions League knock-out rounds if they secure a historic win against Real Madrid at Wembley.

However they would also have to hope that Borussia Dortmund and APOEL draw with one another in the other group stage clash on Wednesday night.

Spurs held Madrid to a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu last month, with Ronaldo scoring from the penalty spot the cancel out Rafael Varane's own goal.

In other Tottenham news, David Ginola has made a big claim in his comparison between Harry Kane and Ronaldo.

We’ve launched a << BREAKING NEWS FEED>> exclusively for your club. ‘Like Us’ on Facebook by clicking here if you want 24/7 updates on all Tottenham breaking news.