What’s wrong with Erik Lamela? Tottenham star recovers in Rome from hip injury and family difficulties

Tom Collomosse25 January 2017

Mauricio Pochettino last week refused to put a time frame on Erik Lamela's injury return as mystery continues to surround the star's protracted recovery from a hip problem.

Tottenham initially described Lamela's injury as a minor problem back in October, but Wednesday will mark three months to the day since the midfielder last made an appearance for Spurs and Pochettino recently admitted to being 'worried and concerned' by the situation.

Lamela's problem has also coincided with family difficulties and the player was granted leave to return to Argentina in December to visit his sick brother.

The Argentina international then flew to Rome at the turn of the year to continue his rehabilitation and Pochettino suggested the club had sanctioned the trip as much to alter Lamela's pychological state as to aid the recovery of his physical injury.

The Tottenham boss said: "We believe it’s important to change his mindset a bit and he asked to finish his recovery there."

Lamela's visit to Italy, where he has been seen to by AS Roma physio Damiano Stefanini and his team, was expected to prompt his return to first-team training, but the situation is no clearer nearly three weeks later.

Watch the video at the top of the article for more on Lamela's hip problem

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