adminTottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering submitting an official complaint to the Premier League’s refereeing authorities following Jayden Bogle’s controversial challenge on Mathys Tel during their 1-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday.
Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi was visibly disappointed after watching his team suffer another setback, with Noah Okafor’s 79th-minute strike securing all three points for the hosts.
Tottenham had travelled to Elland Road in high spirits after recording three consecutive victories against Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Those results had offered some encouragement following their difficult beginning to the 2026-27 season.
However, their impressive run came to an end against Leeds, leaving them sitting 10th in the Premier League table.
Despite the disappointing result, much of the post-match discussion centred on a controversial refereeing decision involving Bogle and Tottenham winger Mathys Tel.
The Leeds right-back escaped a red card after making a dangerous challenge on the French attacker, who was unable to continue and subsequently had to be substituted.
According to reports from BBC Sport, Tottenham are prepared to raise the incident with Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), seeking an explanation for why Bogle was not dismissed following a VAR review.
Nevertheless, De Zerbi was more concerned about his players’ overall performance than the controversial officiating decision. The Italian questioned his team’s mentality, commitment and ability to compete consistently against difficult opponents.
Speaking after the defeat, the Tottenham manager admitted that his players failed to demonstrate the determination and courage required to get a positive result.
He said: “We won no duels, no one-to-ones. There was space to play and we didn’t take the right decisions. We didn’t show personality or what we are, who we are. It’s a part of the journey. It’s not an excuse and it can be normal in football but we have to be honest.”
De Zerbi insisted that his team must learn from the disappointing performance if they are serious about becoming a top side.
He added that an honest assessment of their second-half display could help them improve, stressing that physical quality alone would not be enough to achieve their ambitions.
The former Brighton manager also questioned whether his squad were mentally prepared to maintain their impressive form over several consecutive matches.
According to De Zerbi, his players possess the technical ability and physical strength to compete at a higher level, but their latest performance exposed significant weaknesses in their character and consistency.
He further revealed that he was surprised by what happened in the second half because his players had trained well throughout the week and had been fully aware of the intensity they would face at Elland Road.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi also expressed his frustration with referee John Brooks’ handling of the controversial incidents involving Bogle and Tottenham defender Pedro Porro.
The Spurs boss suggested that the referee’s decisions were inconsistent, particularly after Porro received a yellow card for a separate challenge during the second half.
He said: “I was surprised because in the same position in the second half there were two different fouls, the yellow card for Pedro Porro is not possible. I don’t know if it is a red card or not on Mathys Tel but the parameter of the referee was not good enough for this in both situations.”
Tottenham will now be hoping to put the disappointing defeat behind them, although their reported plans to challenge the refereeing decision could keep the controversy surrounding Bogle’s challenge firmly in the spotlight.
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