Tottenham's Heung-Min Son excited about Leverkusen return
Monday 17 October 2016 23:25, UK
Tottenham forward Heung-Min Son says Tuesday's Champions League game at his former club Bayer Leverkusen will be a "special night" for him.
The South Korea international was rested for Saturday's 1-1 draw at West Brom but is likely to be back in the side for the match against the club he left to join Spurs for £22m in August 2015.
Having arrived in 2013, Son scored 21 goals in 62 games for Leverkusen, and is looking forward to his return.
"It's a special game for me because I played there for two years," said Son on the eve of the Group E encounter.
"I had some great times there and made so many friends also. I am very excited to be going back.
"If I score against them, I will not celebrate. I respect them too much.
"My two years there was a good time for them and also a good time for me. I am really happy for them, I want to show respect."
The 24-year-old Son first broke through at Hamburg, the club he joined when he was just 16, and revealed that he received tips there from former Spurs man Rafael van der Vaart and prolific Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
"When I was at Hamburg, 17 or 18, Ruud van Nistelrooy signed and he helped me a lot," Son said.
"He saw my first training session and he talked to me, he told me I was a good player. He gave me confidence and I want to thank him for that.
"Also, Rafael van der Vaart came and he helped me.
"He told me more about English football and how tough it was.
"I was only young. I listened to him and tried to learn from what he was saying."
