LAMELA’S LOVING THE LONDON RIVALRY

FROM River Plate against Boca Juniors to Roma versus Lazio, and Tottenham taking on Chelsea, Erik Lamela has played in some tasty derbies.

And Spurs’ Argentina star Lamela reckons the Battle of the Bridge with their west London rivals in May 2016 matched every one in terms of intensity and emotion. He was one of 12 players booked by ref Mark Clattenburg during that game, and was accused of purposefully stepping on Cesc Fabregas’s hand in the heat of it all.

Lamela said: “It was at a special moment because we were in the position to win the title but, in the end, we drew. A lot of things went on, but that’s football.”

While London derbies share the same passion as those in Buenos Aires and Rome on the pitch, off it is a different matter.

On the way to one Superclasico, the River Plate bus that Lamela (right) and team-mates were in was stoned by Boca Junior supporters.

He added: “In Argentina, RiverBoca is a big, big derby and it’s really intense – for the people, it’s more than just three points. You win the derby and you can save the whole season. You have to win. If not, you are the worst. It’s too much, it’s not balanced.

“But also here and in Italy it’s the same. All the supporters want to win the derby. It’s the most important game of the season.

“I enjoy these games more because I like to play with intensity, when the game is alive.”