Tottenham Hotspur fans will love what Erik Lamela said when he returned to North London as the special guest for their clash against Brighton last week.
Lamela made 257 appearances in his eight years at Tottenham after arriving from AS Roma in 2013, scoring 37 goals and providing 47 assists for the club.
While injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential at the club, the Argentine was a huge fan favourite among the Spurs faithful.
That was mainly down to the passion and desire he showed on the pitch, and by the sounds of it, his love for the shirt very much remains intact, five years on from his departure.
Erik Lamela admits he still gets a lot of love from Tottenham fans
The 34-year-old, who hung up his boots last summer and joined Sevilla’s coaching staff, returned to his former stomping ground last week to watch Tottenham play out a 2-2 draw against Brighton.
While the atmosphere at the stadium was extremely tense as a result of Spurs being involved in a relegation battle, the winger admitted that returning to the ground evoked some great memories.
When asked how it felt to be back, Lamela told Tottenham’s official website: “Yeah, it feels amazing. Thank you for the welcome. Yes, first time back as a fan. I have still a lot of messages from Spurs fans. You know, my love for this club is big. I spend a lot of good memories here and the fans are always my help also.”
When asked what his favourite memories were from his eight seasons at Tottenham, he said: “Like I said before, I had a lot of memories. It was special for me, this club. I spent many years and now, for me, it’s a special moment because I’m here, I look at the people and it’s fantastic to be here. I played many games. I enjoyed a lot. We were doing well. We had an amazing team and I enjoyed every season here.
“To play in this stadium meant a lot. The people are amazing. They make you feel very good every game and, of course, as a player, it’s the best. I think when we reached the Champions League final, it was the best moment. It was brilliant. Everyone was fantastic. This moment is forever in my mind. Unfortunately, we didn’t win, but this is football.
“There were so many times with that team, so many special moments along the way. We had a very good group. We were fighting all together, always. Our relationship was amazing. I think this means a lot in football. When you have a good group, it’s better. It’s easier to be fighting for good things.”
Lamela admits Spurs fans are cut from a different cloth
The Argentine was loved for the tenacity and desire he showed every time he put on the shirt, and he confessed that he is proud of what he achieved in North London.
Lamela remarked that it is the passionate support and the family atmosphere that make Tottenham different to other clubs.
When asked about his tendency to always fight for the shirt, the 34-year-old said: “When I came in the first season, I understood that in the Premier League you have to fight and also the way I feel about football. I always give my all. This is the best I can do after sleeping well. I feel if I give everything, it’s good. It was amazing to play here. I feel proud and nothing else.”
Finally, when the former Spurs man was asked to give a piece of advice to players who come to Tottenham, he responded: “The advice is to let them know to come. For me, it was fantastic to be here. The club is amazing. It’s always better and better. This is a family also. The fans are something different.”
- READ MORE: Tottenham graduate Andros Townsend fights Thailand relegation after five managers in one season