Erik Lamela admits his first season in Spain with Sevilla has flown by with injuries preventing him from making the desired impact, and the Argentine forward is looking to bounce back stronger in 2022-23 while also eyeing up a Champions League reunion with Tottenham.
The 30-year-old South American left Spurs in the summer of 2021 as part of a trade which saw Bryan Gil head in the opposite direction to north London.
He started a new adventure with the Liga heavyweights positively, but a shoulder problem picked up in November led to him sitting out four months in a campaign now drawing to a close.
What has Lamela made of his season at Sevilla?
Quizzed by GOAL on whether fitness issues stunted his progress, Lamela said: “This year was very fast. It's been a year and I don't feel like it's been a year because of everything I went through.
“I started playing, in the first few months I was adapting and then the injury hit.
“Now I'm back, I played a couple of games and it's already coming to an end. I would have liked to continue now, but the year is ending and the positive thing is that I'm going to be really looking forward to starting the new year.”
Could Lamela line up against Tottenham in 2022-23?
Lamela has been keeping an eye on how his former team-mates in England have been getting on.
Antonio Conte has guided Spurs into fourth place in the Premier League table, with Champions League qualification – ahead of arch-rivals Arsenal – in their own hands heading into the final round of fixtures.
Lamela, who made more than 250 appearances for Tottenham, is hoping to see them get over that line before potentially lining up against them in elite European competition next season.
He said: “Hopefully Tottenham can achieve it and also against the eternal rival [Arsenal], it would be doubly better.
“Let's hope they can achieve it and next year it would be good to face them because I left many acquaintances and friends at the club. It would be a nice experience.”