Tottenham Hotspur are sweating over the fitness of Mathys Tel after the young French forward suffered a painful ankle injury in Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road. The 20-year-old had to come off before half-time following a controversial challenge from Leeds defender Jayden Bogle, which has become one of the biggest talking points of the weekend’s Premier League action.
The incident came in the 34th minute, when Bogle caught Tel around the Achilles with his studs while challenging for the ball. Tel went down in obvious pain, which brought on the medics and a lengthy VAR review. Referee John Brooks surprisingly decided against a red card, and VAR official Tony Harrington agreed the challenge did not reach the level of a sending-off. Bogle was not even shown a yellow card despite the seriousness of the contact.
Tel tried to carry on after treatment, but the pain became too much and he was replaced by Dominic Solanke in the 43rd minute. The situation looks more worrying for Spurs fans after reports that the forward was seen leaving Elland Road on crutches and in a protective boot.
In the club’s official post-match update, Roberto De Zerbi called it a bad ankle injury and said further medical checks were needed over the coming days to find out exactly what the problem is. The club’s medical team added that Tel hurt his left ankle in the challenge and that early assessments raised concerns about the extent of damage around the ankle and Achilles area. Specialist examinations and imaging are required to establish how serious it is, and his availability for upcoming games will depend on the results. That is not a confirmed diagnosis, but the circumstances have understandably raised fears that Tottenham could be without the Frenchman for a long spell.
Losing Tel would be another frustrating blow for De Zerbi, especially given his recent contributions and the need for attacking options during a demanding part of the season. The forward had been working hard to establish himself, and his impressive solo goal in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on October 24 showed the quality he brings.
The defeat itself was already a disappointing afternoon for Spurs, with Noah Okafor coming off the bench to score the winner in the 79th minute and end Tottenham’s three-game winning run. For many supporters, though, the result has become secondary to worries about Tel’s condition and the prospect of him missing several important matches.
Tottenham are also expected to ask refereeing body Pro Ref for clarification over the decision not to send Bogle off, adding to an already difficult weekend. For now, fans must wait for the medical results to learn how long Tel could be out, and Spurs will be hoping what looked like a potentially serious injury does not become a lengthy absence for the young forward.
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