Erik Lamela reveals biggest Tottenham regret as former Spurs star opens up on life under Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho

Former Tottenham forward Erik Lamela has revealed sitting out of the 2019 Champions League final still hurts.

The Argentine, 29, left Spurs for Sevilla in the summer after eight years in north London.

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His most successful spell with the Premier League club came under Mauricio Pochettino, when Tottenham challenged for the title and reached the 2019 Champions League final.

However, Lamela watched from the bench as Spurs were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool.

Speaking about the start of his Tottenham career, he told The Times: “It was a new project, with a lot of new players. Some of them I spent many years with, like Christian [Eriksen]. I was the last one!

“The era with Pochettino I can say was the best, no? From when Mauricio arrived, the first season maybe wasn’t the best but after that we got better and better.

"We were always very close to the top of the league, second or third. I enjoyed every season there, but to reach the Champions League final [in 2019] was a big success for the club.”

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He added: “It was one of the most important games of my life to play this final but I can say nothing because I didn’t play a minute and that’s something I will always have inside me that doesn’t feel good.

“It was hard to lose that game but, at the same time, we knew that the team had never arrived in that position before and that we’d brought the club very high so you have both things.

“If we win that game we could be in the history forever. Of course, sometimes these types of games change your history. After reaching the Champions League final there was a big pressure on the team to do well and to always get better.”

Nevertheless, Lamela loved working under Pochettino and reflects on his shock when the Argentine coach was sacked in 2019.

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“We didn’t expect it," he continued. "He did an amazing job to bring the club to such a high position, to qualify for the Champions League for many years in a row and always in a position to win something.

"The way he managed the team and the way we were training so hard every day, we gave our all to always improve and it was a mental shock that we were there.”

Poch's successor, Jose Mourinho, only lasted 17 months in charge, but Lamela does not have a bad word to say about the Portuguese manager.

“Jose is an amazing coach,” he added. “His mentality is amazing.

"He tried his best for the club — I can say that because it’s the truth.

"I know how hard he worked for Tottenham, he was a great guy as well and I enjoyed the time with him.”

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