Mathys Tel went from scorer to culprit in the same match. He opened the scoring in the 50th minute for Tottenham, then later conceded the penalty after his overhead-kick attempt. Roberto De Zerbi’s response was immediate and protective, while James Maddison spent the night raging at the officials over a late VAR call.

De Zerbi chose protection over punishment

The key detail is simple enough. Tel’s overhead kick led to Ethan Ampadu getting first contact with the ball by heading it, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted the penalty that followed. That is the moment that turned the draw into a story about judgment, not just the scoreline.

Roberto De Zerbi said of Tel: “He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn't need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake, it can happen to a young player.” That is a manager making the cleanest possible call: back the forward publicly, avoid piling on, and accept that a player who has already produced for you can make a bad decision.

Jamie Carragher was much harsher. He called it “a really, really poor decision” and said Tel made “two ridiculous decisions” in the game. But Carragher also pointed out that the young attacker has made “a massive difference” to Spurs recently, and that matters here. Tel has 29 Premier League appearances and 4 Premier League goals this season, which is not the profile of a passenger. He has been involved enough to be judged on moments like this, and Spurs will probably keep using him because the alternatives are thin.

Maddison's anger shows how raw Spurs feel about officials

The other flashpoint came late, when James Maddison was challenged by Lukas Nmecha in the penalty area in the 103rd minute. Maddison said: “For clarity… the small tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha. I told the ref that but the check was over in about 20 seconds. Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS.”

Howard Webb offered the counterview, saying: “That touch on the ball doesn't negate the possible award of a penalty.” So the incident is not cleanly settled by the available evidence. What is clear is that Tottenham felt denied, and that feeling was sharpened by the speed of the review.

Maddison’s first league appearance of the season came as a substitute after recovering from an ACL injury, so this was a meaningful return even before the penalty appeal. Tottenham's situation makes the frustration louder too. They are 17th in the Premier League, with 37 points from 35 matches and a goal difference of -9. In that sort of position, every call lands harder, and every late check feels like it changes more than one point.

Gabby Agbonlahor also used the draw to hammer Richarlison, calling him the slowest player in the Premier League and describing the performance as horrendous. That criticism is harsher because Richarlison is Tottenham’s top scorer this season with 10 league goals. But the night still belonged to Tel and the officials. One young forward made the first breakthrough, then became the focus of the defensive instinct around him. Another returnee from injury ended up shouting into the VAR void.

If Spurs are going to drag themselves clear, they need better decisions, better discipline, and probably more nights where their biggest talking point is not the referee. The next league game will tell us more than this one did.

FAQ

Why did Roberto De Zerbi defend Mathys Tel after the Leeds penalty incident?

De Zerbi chose protection over punishment after Tel scored Tottenham’s opener, then conceded the penalty from his overhead-kick attempt. He said Tel is young, called him a talent, and added: “I will kiss him and hug him.” Jamie Carragher also argued Tel had still made a massive difference to Tottenham recently.

Was James Maddison right to complain about the late VAR check against Leeds?

The brief presents both views. Maddison said the check was over in about 20 seconds and that officials are “petrified” because of VAR. Howard Webb said a touch on the ball does not automatically rule out a penalty, so the incident remains a live disagreement rather than a settled call.

How did Tottenham's draw with Leeds become a VAR controversy?

The match had two flashpoints. Tel opened the scoring in the 50th minute, then conceded the penalty that Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted after Ethan Ampadu got first contact with the ball. Later, Maddison was challenged by Lukas Nmecha in the area and Tottenham were denied a stoppage-time penalty after a VAR check of about 20 seconds.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →