Mathys Tel has voiced his disappointment at being omitted from Tottenham’s Champions League squad. Despite the setback, he is determined to prove himself and fight for a place in the team. Tel remains committed to Spurs and is eager to make a significant impact in the Premier League. He is focused on improving and demonstrating his abilities to earn a regular spot in Thomas Frank’s squad.
Mathys Tel has expressed his disappointment at being left out of Tottenham's Champions League squad for the upcoming season. The young forward, who made a permanent switch to Spurs from Bayern Munich in June after a loan spell, admitted that the omission "definitely hurts." However, he remains determined to prove his worth and fight for a place in Thomas Frank's squad.
Spurs faced challenges in meeting homegrown player quotas for their Champions League squad, leading to Tel's exclusion. Injured players James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski were also left out, along with Yves Bissouma and Radu Dragusin. Despite these setbacks, Tel is focused on demonstrating his abilities and securing a regular spot in the team.
Speaking to reporters while on international duty with France's Under-21s, Tel explained how Frank communicated the decision. "Quite simply, with respect. He called me, he simply told me his choice, and then you could see the list appear on the networks," he said. "It’s clear that when you’re not on a list, it definitely hurts, but I’m someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I’ve worked a lot on the mental aspect, so today it’s definitely a disappointment. I would have liked to be there. But the coach’s choice is the coach’s choice; we can only respect it, and we’re going to work to come back in the best possible way."
Tel is eager to make an impact in the Premier League after his initial loan spell. He stated, "No matter, even if I was on the list, I would have had this desire, to be revengeful, to be able to be effective this season, to be able to start my season in the Premier League, because now, it’s a first long season that begins because last year it was in the form of a six-month loan."
During his loan spell, Tel scored three goals and provided one assist in 20 appearances, contributing to Spurs' Europa League campaign, although he didn't play in the final. However, the recent signing of Xavi Simons has triggered speculation about Tel's future at the club. Despite this, Tel insists he is committed to Spurs and will fight for his place.
“I am under contract with Tottenham [until 2031], so I am a Tottenham player, and I will do my best to be able to play quite simply,” he added, addressing the speculations. He acknowledges that he could have performed better during his initial period with the club but remains optimistic about the future.
Tel reflected on his experiences, stating, "Knowing what I’m capable of, knowing all the abilities I have, I think I could have done better. In any case, we can all do better, but I would say that it’s an encouraging setup. I learned that no matter the situation, no matter why you’re called to a club, you have to be patient because there are times when it happens, times when it doesn’t. That’s life. Sometimes there are things we deserve that we don’t receive. But in life, do we get everything we deserve? Not often. I’ve grown in maturity, in experience, and I think that today it has shaped my personality and, I would say, my character especially.”
Spurs are set to begin their Champions League campaign against Villarreal on September 16, a match that Tel will be watching from the sidelines but with a firm resolve to prove his worth in the matches to come.