The Tottenham Hotspur winger has to sit out their upcoming Champions League clash.
Tottenham Hotspur waited 13 long months to see Erik Lamela back in action, and their manager Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping he can return to his best in the weeks ahead.
To do that he needs to get game time, however an ideal opportunity to rebuild his confidence against a side that could be there for the taking – and in a dead rubber to boot – will pass him by later this week when Spurs take on APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League.
With top spot already secured, Tottenham can give some of their regular starters a rest at Wembley on Wednesday evening. They can also give a few of their fringe players and young prospects the chance to impress; something Lamela would have surely seized with both hands.
Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, he was not registered for the first phase of the competition and will have to watch from the stands as Tottenham look to finish the group stage in style.
Lamela has, understandably, been using sparingly since recovering from his long-term injury, featuring for 13 minutes against both Leicester City and Watford, but Wednesday’s match could have been the ideal time for him to start.
Alas it was not to be, and on reflection it was a smart move as Tottenham qualified with the players they could call on at the time. But do not expect him to be overlooked for the knockout rounds, with another unlucky player likely to be omitted just as Lamela and Vincent Janssen were back in the summer.
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