MusaTottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing to take formal action over the controversial decision not to send off Leeds United defender Jayden Bogle following his dangerous challenge on Mathys Tel during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Elland Road.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men travelled to Yorkshire hoping to extend their impressive three-match winning run, having previously secured important victories against Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. However, their momentum was brought to an abrupt halt after Noah Okafor’s late strike secured all three points for Leeds.
Despite the disappointing result, the biggest talking point surrounding the encounter was the controversial first-half challenge that left Tottenham forward Mathys Tel in considerable pain.
Bogle caught the French international around the ankle with a dangerous challenge that immediately sparked protests from Tottenham players. Tel was left writhing on the pitch before eventually being forced off, but remarkably, the Leeds defender escaped without receiving even a yellow card.
According to reports from BBC Sport, Tottenham are firmly convinced that Bogle should have been sent off and are now expected to write to refereeing organisation Pro Ref to request an explanation for the decision.
The incident reportedly went through an extensive five-minute VAR review, with video assistant referee Tony Harrington examining the challenge. However, despite the lengthy assessment, Harrington did not recommend that referee John Brooks visit the pitch-side monitor.
Consequently, Bogle avoided dismissal, leaving Tottenham increasingly frustrated with the officiating team’s interpretation of the incident.
The decision has also attracted criticism from former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann, who believes the Leeds defender was fortunate to remain on the pitch.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Cann explained:
“Bogle’s challenge meets the criteria for serious foul play as he endangers the safety of an opponent.
“He can consider himself lucky to still be on the pitch.”
His assessment has added further weight to the growing debate surrounding the incident, particularly among Tottenham supporters who believe the failure to dismiss Bogle significantly affected their team’s chances.
Nevertheless, De Zerbi refused to use the controversial decision as an excuse for his players’ overall performance, admitting that Tottenham were simply not good enough during the second half.
The Italian manager acknowledged that his side failed to demonstrate the necessary intensity, physicality and mentality to compete against Leeds, insisting that they deserved to leave Elland Road without a positive result.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, De Zerbi said:
“We deserved to lose the game in the second half and didn’t play like we can. It’s a journey for us because we can learn from this game.
“I am sorry for the performance in the second half. We didn’t play like a top team. We didn’t have the right character and physicality in the second half.”
The defeat represents a frustrating setback for Tottenham, especially considering the confidence generated by their recent victories.
Their wins against Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace had marked the first time Spurs had managed to record three consecutive victories since February 2025, raising hopes that De Zerbi was beginning to establish consistency within the squad.
However, Saturday’s disappointing performance has brought those concerns back into focus.
Tottenham currently sit 10th in the Premier League standings following the defeat, although their position could deteriorate further depending on the outcome of Sunday’s fixtures.
While De Zerbi will undoubtedly be disappointed with the result, Tottenham’s expected complaint to Pro Ref demonstrates that the club are equally determined to seek clarification over what they consider a major refereeing controversy.
For Spurs supporters, the central question remains why a challenge that left Tel unable to continue did not result in a red card, particularly after such an extensive VAR review.
Musa
