Erik Lamela says the Champions Leagu e Final feels like a “present” for him after years of injury struggles.
The Argentine has had several setbacks in his six seasons at Tottenham — including one spell on the sidelines that stretched out for well over a year.
There were even fears for his long-term future as he underwent two operations on a hip problem.
But he has battled through the issues and will be an exciting option from the bench in Saturday’s Champions League Final against Liverpool. Now, the 27-year-old forward can barely take the smile off his face as Mauricio Pochettino's men looks forward to that showdown in Madrid.
He said: “For a long time I had to accept I couldn’t play, and that was very frustrating for me.
“The worst moment was the injury to my hips. For so long I was not able to play - longer than I ever want to remember. It was a very tough time. There were a lot of bad periods.
“That is why I am enjoying myself preparing for this game. Getting to the final is like a present for me for all that happened. I am enjoying it so much because I know the bad things that can happen.”
Lamela, even though he is certain to begin the game on the bench, is determined to soak in every precious moment of the big day.
He said: “It is something I have talked to my team-mates about. We all said that, as young boys, we went out with our friends and pretended to play in the Champions League Final. Now we are going to play in it for real. How many people get the chance to do that?
“When we were young we dreamed of playing these games and now we have the opportunity. It is a game we have to enjoy.”
