’It’s Clear’—Mathys Tel Reacts to Tottenham Champions League Snub

Mathys Tel has said his omission from Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League squad "hurts", but has vowed to return "in the best possible way".

Tel joined Spurs on an initial loan at the end of the January transfer window earlier this year, but Bayern Munich, who he signed for as a 17-year-old and subsequently became their youngest-ever goalscorer, were willing to part ways with him permanently in the summer.

The 20-year-old didn’t light up north London during his loan spell, but he offered glimpses of the talent that earned widespread acclaim during his teenage years. He ended 2024–25 with three goals in 20 appearances for the Lilywhites.

Ange Postecoglou reportedly convinced Tel to commit to Spurs in January amid plenty of interest from elsewhere. However, the Australian has since been succeeded by Thomas Frank off the back of a historically bad domestic season.

Frank’s track record of maximising forwards bodes well for Tel, but the Frenchman has endured a nightmare start to the new season, confirmed by the manager’s decision to leave him out of Spurs’ squad for their eight Champions League league phase encounters.

Mathys Tel played 20 times for Spurs during his loan spell. | Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Tottenham’s poor squad planning ultimately forced Frank to name a surprise absentee, with their lack of ’locally–trained’ players reducing their squad size from 25 to 22.

Still, Tel has responded well to setbacks throughout his young career and has shown during his brief time at the club that he has a mature head on his shoulders. Reacting to the squad omission, he said (via Le Télégramme): “It’s clear that when you’re not on a squad, it definitely hurts, 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," he added.

After missing his spot-kick in Spurs’ penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup, Tel has featured off the bench in two of their first Premier League games of the season. While a versatile option capable of performing various roles, Tel is currently below Wilson Odobert in the pecking order, not to mention Frank’s three centre-forward options, including Deadline Day arrival Randal Kolo Muani.

However, there’s plenty of time until the Champions League knockout stages roll around, and Frank will have the chance to tinker with his squad should Spurs advance.