Mathys Tel has expressed that he is “not worried about the future” despite suffering defeats in his first two games for Tottenham Hotspur. The young forward, who joined the club on loan from Bayern Munich on the final day of the January transfer window with an option to make the move permanent, made his debut in Spurs’ 3-0 loss to Liverpool last Thursday. Coming off the bench in the second half, he was given a chance to prove himself on the field.
Tel was then handed his first start for Tottenham in their FA Cup fourth-round clash against Aston Villa on Sunday. Despite Spurs falling to a 2-1 defeat, the 19-year-old made an impact, scoring his first goal for the club in the dying moments of the match. He latched onto a precise cross from Dejan Kulusevski, sending a well-placed volley into the back of the net during stoppage time.
Looking ahead, Tel is expected to start again on Sunday when Tottenham faces Manchester United at home in the Premier League. The club is currently enduring a difficult period, sitting 14th in the league standings and now only remaining in one cup competition for the rest of the season. Despite the team’s struggles, Tel remains optimistic and believes in his teammates and the coaching staff at Spurs.
In an interview with SPURSPLAY, Tel shared his thoughts on the team’s current situation: “Honestly, we are sad about the results, but I know the quality of my teammates and the staff… I believe in them. I’m not scared about the future. We play next week against Manchester [United] and we are going to do our jobs. We have to be better, do much more on the pitch, and we will see what happens. Our mentality doesn’t change. We have to keep this energy and keep going until the end.”
Although his start at Tottenham has been marked by two disappointing cup exits, Tel remains positive about his personal progress. He believes that scoring his first goal for Spurs, especially after making his debut in such high-profile matches, has provided a confidence boost. Reflecting on his early experiences at the club, he acknowledged that it has been a “good start” to his career at Spurs, despite the setbacks.
“It’s a good start for me… without the defeats,” Tel admitted. “It’s something special for me to play my first game at Anfield, a semi-final, and now my debut and a goal, honestly, that’s good for my confidence. My goal was good, I’m happy, but it’s a difficult day. We have to keep going.”
He also spoke about the challenges faced during the Villa match, noting that the opponent was aggressive throughout the game. Despite the tough loss, Tel emphasized the importance of staying positive and pushing forward. “This game was not easy. The opponent was very aggressive. We breathed until the end, but as I said, it wasn’t easy. We can be better. We have to trust in ourselves and go to the end. That’s our mentality.”
As Tottenham looks to regroup and find their form, Tel’s belief in his teammates and his growing confidence could play a crucial role in the team’s efforts to turn their fortunes around. With his eye on the future, the young French forward is determined to continue improving and help Spurs achieve better results in the coming weeks.
