Lamela on Tottenham's 'special night'

Every time you think that Erik Lamela has given the UEFA Europa League everything he has got, he manages to surpass himself.

With Tottenham Hotspur only needing a draw to clinch first place in Group J, the Londoners put on a gala showing, beating Monaco 4-1 – with Lamela the inspiration, opening the scoring in the second minute and going on to help himself to a first-half hat-trick. It was his first-ever treble at senior level.

It meant that Lamela finished the group stage with five goals in five games, though he was at a loss to explain exactly why the competition provides him with such fertile ground.

"It's great to have scored in these games," the 23-year-old Argentinian international winger told UEFA.com, "but I only think about the team. It was a special night for me and, above all, for the team because we won and finished first in the group, which was the aim at the start. It's great to play in this team and to enjoy what happened tonight."

That desire to put collective aspirations first is what makes Lamela so valued within the White Hart Lane dressing room, even if his individual talents are also greatly appreciated. "He was fantastic," defender Toby Alderweireld said. "His finishing was, I think, some of the best of the season and he works so hard for the team. He creates chances and he's an important player for us."

The sheer variety of his goals suggests Lamela can continue to be an important weapon, whichever opposition Spurs land in Monday's round of 32 draw. A poacher's sidefoot, a drive from outside the box and a clinical rap home from Clinton Njié's pass accounted for his strikes against Monaco, and few White Hart Lane regulars will ever forget his rabona against Asteras Tripolis last term. That balance of inspiration and industry has come to epitomise Tottenham on these European nights.

"I don't know if we can be [UEFA Europa League] champions," Lamela mused, "but we know we have great players and a great team. We've shown we can take on other strong teams and we're playing well. Teams don't want to come and play here. We'll do the best we can in this competition and in the league, too."