Tottenham Hotspur fans raged after Leeds United’s Jayden Bogle escaped a red card for a careless challenge on Mathys Tel that injured the French forward on Saturday, but boss Roberto De Zerbi refused to blame his side’s 1-0 Premier League defeat on the decision.
Bogle’s clumsy challenge just after the half-hour mark prompted a long VAR review. Referee John Brooks ultimately chose not to book the Leeds player, but Tel was forced off shortly afterwards by an ankle injury suffered in the clash, and replaced by Dominic Solanke.
“I have a big confidence in the referee, nothing changes if he (Brooks) goes to watch the clip or not, I think. There was the VAR, and if they didn’t take the right decision, I don’t know, but we have confidence. We have to keep our eyes on the performance (and) where we can improve,” De Zerbi told broadcaster TNT Sports.
“We didn’t play like we can. It’s a journey for us because we can learn from this game… There was the solution, there was the space, there was the way to attack and to play better and to defend better.”
The departure of Tel seemed to rob Spurs of some of their momentum and De Zerbi said his players were off the pace for the remainder of the game.
“I’m sorry for the result but first of all, I’m sorry for the performance in the second half – we didn’t play like a top team, we played without the right spirit, the right character, the right physicality in the duels.”
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was delighted with his side’s first league win since September, and said that Bogle’s clash with Tel was not intentional.
“It’s a very unlucky outcome that Mathys is injured and we wish him all the best and he can recover quickly,” Farke said.
“The last thing Jayden Bogle is is a nasty player. He’s possibly the softest player in the whole league. I always call him my butterfly, and I can guarantee it was never out of bad intention.”
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