Tottenham attacker Mathys Tel opens up on major snub with Spurs career already seemingly in severe doubt

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mathys Tel has said that he was 'hurt' by Thomas Frank's decision to leave him out of the Spurs squad for the league phase of the Champions League.

Tel, who joined Spurs on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich over the summer, was a notable absentee when Tottenham head coach Frank confirmed his 22-man squad for the league phase of the tournament.

Tottenham's well-documented issues when it comes to either signing or promoting homegrown players led to some difficult decisions needing to be made, and fellow new signing Kota Takai was also not selected.

Injured duo James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski were also left out alongside Radu Dragusin and Yves Bissouma.

Tel, speaking on international duty with France Under-21s, admitted that he was 'hurt' by the decision, but he has vowed to continue working hard in order to prove himself to his manager.

New Tottenham forward Tel 'hurt' by Champions League snub

"Quite simply, with respect. He called me, he simply told me his choice and then you could see the list appear on the networks," he told reporters.

"It's clear that when you're not on a list, it definitely hurts, but I'm someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I've worked a lot on the mental aspect, 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're going to work to come back in the best possible way.

"No matter, even if I was on the list, I would have had this desire, to be revengeful, to be able to be effective this season, to be able to start my season in the Premier League, because now, it's a first long season that begins because last year it was in the form of a six-month loan.

"A desire elsewhere? I am under contract with Tottenham [until 2031], so I am a Tottenham player and I will do my best to be able to play quite simply.

"Knowing what I'm capable of, knowing all the abilities I have, I think I could have done better. In any case, we can all do better, but I would say that it's an encouraging setup.

"Why? Because it forces me to know the weak points, the things to improve, so there's always room for improvement that we have to aim for. Whether in life in London or on the pitch, I think it can be better, everything can be better, absolutely everything.

"I learned that no matter the situation, no matter why you're called to a club, you have to be patient because there are times when it happens, times when it doesn't. That's life. Sometimes there are things we deserve, that we don't receive.

"But in life, do we get everything we deserve? Not often. I've grown in maturity, in experience, and I think that today it has shaped my personality and, I would say, my character especially."

Tel struggled at Spurs in the second half of last season

Tel spent the second half of last season on loan at Spurs from Bayern, only managing three goals in 20 appearances, and he was an unused substitute in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Tottenham paid £30m to sign him over the summer, but he has played just 19 minutes of Premier League football in the team's opening three matches of the 2025-26 campaign, and his absence from the Champions League squad suggests that he will not be considered to be a regular by Frank.