Erik Lamela has suffered yet another injury hit campaign for Tottenham Hotspur and is yet to fulfill his full potential despite having been at the club since August 2013.
Lamela’s arrival from Roma for £25.7m came with much excitement that the young Argentine could add some trickery in the attacking third (BBC).
Injuries have plagued Lamela’s time in North London including a thirteen-month absence after undergoing double hip surgery and then had to deal with his brother being involved in a serious accident in his native Argentina (Evening Standard).
Having recently returned to fitness after issues with his hamstring, he is now looking to put the problems behind him by helping Tottenham to Champions League glory against Liverpool in Madrid on Saturday evening.
Lamela came off the bench during the 3-2 away win at Ajax in Amsterdam and also played the final Premier League match of the season against Everton.
The 27-year-old has declared himself fit ahead of the weekend and has described it as a ‘gift.
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He told Football.London: “It’s been a difficult one. When I pick up a new injury, with everything that I’ve lived through in my career now with the injuries, it’s difficult. It’s part of the game no? Sometimes it happens to me, sometimes to other players,”
“I hope now to enjoy this game because it’s like a gift I’ve been given after such a difficult period I’ve been through. I’m preparing myself to give my best.”
He added: “In the last two months I’ve finished the season with just the last two games and it’s been hard. The last part of the season is the most important no?
“But now it’s an opportunity we need to take. We talk among ourselves that it’s a great opportunity to be in the history of this club and that’s what we want. We’re trying to arrive in the best condition, the best feeling and I think I am confident we’re going to play a very good game.”
“We’ve prepared well in the past three weeks. We’ve trained hard and we are ready mentally and physically. It’s been good for the team,” he added.
“I’m feeling good. I still have a few more days to train after tomorrow to arrive in the best condition.”
He added: “This team always believes. You cannot lie. The results show the truth. We’ve had too many players injured during a difficult period in the season and the team always showed character and decides to go forward. That’s why we’re in the final.
“We always believed. This team always fight and all the players believe. Now in the final we believe more than ever.”
Opinion
It would be hugely surprising if Mauricio Pochettino decides to name Lamela in his starting line-up considering he has the likes of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane to chose from.
Instead, he is likely to be named among the subs for the match in Madrid.
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