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Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Champions League, Football, Premier League, UEFA
Jonathan Bray
Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Champions League, Football, Premier League, UEFA
Tottenham forward Mathys Tel has broken his silence after being left out of Thomas Frank for his side’s UEFA Champions League campaigns.
Each club is only permitted a squad of 22 players for their campaign in Europe’s elite competition.
Tel signed for Spurs for a reported £30 million this summer, having spent the second half of last season on loan in north London.
The Frenchman has scored three goals and registered two assists in 23 appearances across all competitions since making his debut for the club last term.
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However, he has revealed that it hurt to have the chance to increase his goal tally in the Champions League taken away from him.
“It’s clear that when you’re not on a squad, it definitely hurts,” he said while on international duty with France Under-21s.
“But I’m someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I’ve worked a lot on my mental side, 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’ll work to come back in the best possible way.”
Tottenham had a superb opening two games of the Premier League season, beating Burnley 3-0 before stunning Manchester City with a 2-0 triumph at the Etihad.
However, their final game before the international break ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth.
Frank’s side will get their Champions League league phase campaign underway against Villarreal on Tuesday, 16th September.
Spurs qualified for this season’s competition by beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League.
Tel insists that he will continue to fight for a place in Frank’s starting XI despite the omission from his Champions League squad.
“It doesn’t matter, even if I were on the list, I would have had this desire, to seek revenge, to be effective this season, to be able to kick-start my season in the Premier League," he added.
“Because this is the beginning of a long first season, since last year was on a six-month loan.
“A desire to go elsewhere? I’m under contract with Tottenham, so I’m a Tottenham player, and I’m going to do my best to simply play.”