Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele has insisted that the Europa League is important to the club this season.

Spurs, who start their campaign at home to Lazio on Thursday evening, only missed out on a Champions League place because Chelsea won Europe's premier club competition last season.

"This is a very important competition for us," Dembele told reporters. "There are some good teams in this competition but I think we can do something in it."

Tottenham are joined in Group J by Panathinaikos and NK Maribor.