Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has urged fans to rally behind Mathys Tel in Saturday’s Premier League opener against Burnley, following the forward’s experience of racial abuse on social media.
The 20-year-old was targeted online after missing a decisive penalty in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Tel’s miss saw Spurs fall short in the shootout, and the incident sparked an outpouring of support from across football, but also drew unacceptable abuse from a minority.
“I think it’s terrible what happened to Mathys there’s no real Tottenham supporter that will ever do that,” Frank told reporters on Friday. “The real Tottenham supporters that we’ll see tomorrow at the stadium, they’ll back him, and I expect them to. In tough times we step up together, and I expect the fans to give him a really, really, really big cheer tomorrow.”
Frank made it clear that Spurs are looking to turn the page after midweek disappointment and focus fully on their Premier League campaign. Last season, the club endured a difficult run, finishing 17th and narrowly avoiding relegation. However, they also lifted the Europa League, showing their ability to produce in knockout competitions.
Midfielder Yves Bissouma, who was left out of the Super Cup squad due to repeated lateness, will return for the Burnley clash.
“You deal with these situations internally. It’s dealt with, and I’m looking forward,” Frank said, underlining that the matter was now closed.
Frank confirmed there are no new injury concerns, but defender Destiny Udogie will remain out with the knee injury that kept him sidelined on Wednesday.
“Destiny is progressing, but it’s too early for him to be involved in the squad,” he added.
Burnley, meanwhile, will arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium eager to start strong after earning promotion last season. Vincent Kompany’s side have been active in the transfer market, but face a tough test against a Spurs team determined to make a statement at home.
With the focus on unity, Frank’s rallying call to the supporters sets the tone for a match that could be key to building early-season momentum.
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