Roberto De Zerbi backs Mathys Tel after Tottenham's draw with Leeds

Roberto De Zerbi made the post-match focus about support, not blame, after Mathys Tel scored and then conceded the penalty that allowed Leeds to leave with a 1-1 draw. Tel struck five minutes into the second half, then gave away the spot-kick later in the game. De Zerbi's response was bluntly protective. He gave the teenager “a big hug and a big kiss” and said he was “a big talent” who had to be judged with his lack of experience in mind.

Why De Zerbi's response matters

That stance will probably sit well with anyone who watched the match. De Zerbi did not pretend the mistake never happened, but he pushed the opposite message just as hard. He praised Tel's goal, said he was proud of the mentality shown, and treated the penalty as part of a learning curve for a player who has not played too many games in his career.

The performance data backs up why Spurs were frustrated to settle for a point. Tottenham had 14 corners against 2 for Leeds and came inside the goal area 50 times against 27. De Zerbi summed it up neatly enough when he said Spurs had five chances to score against two, yet still did not score two goals. Antonín Kinský was also involved in keeping them in it, with three saves and a team-best 8 rating in the brief's numbers.

James Maddison's return was another positive for Tottenham, even if it was only an 18-minute comeback. De Zerbi called it “great news for us” and said the midfielder will be crucial.

The referee complaint was part of the night too

De Zerbi also made clear he was unhappy with the officiating mood. After being booked for his touchline complaints, he said the referee was “not calm today” and linked the tension to the previous day's West Ham-Arsenal VAR controversy. He argued that Spurs were rushed and frenetic, and that the game never really settled into a rhythm.

That is a fair complaint, even if it does not explain away the draw on its own. The bigger football point is that Tottenham created enough territory and enough pressure to feel hard done by. Leeds were pinned back for long spells, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty was enough to punish the one clear lapse from Tel.

The result leaves De Zerbi with a useful message to manage as much as a scoreline. Tel's mistake will be remembered, but so will the manager choosing to back him in public after a game Tottenham controlled for long stretches.