At Tottenham since July 2025 after his departure from Bayern Munich, Mathys Tel does not seem completely fulfilled on the other side of the Channel. In an interview with French streamer Zack Nani, the French striker admitted not really enjoying the spectacle offered in the Premier League this season. An observation shared by several players and observers in the world of football, including Arne Slot, Liverpool coach.
“I think that’s mainly the case here in the Premier League. When I look at other leagues, I don’t think there is as much emphasis on set pieces. When I watch an Eredivisie match, I see goals disallowed and goalkeeper fouls called, and I say to myself: ‘Wow, that makes a big difference’. Here you can almost hit a goalkeeper in the face and the referee still says: ‘Continue’.”first declared the Dutch technician at a press conference.
“My football heart doesn’t like it”
“Do I like it?” My football heart doesn’t like that”, adds Slot. “If you ask me my opinion, when I think of football, I think of the Barcelona team of 10 or 15 years ago. Every Sunday night we hoped they would play. (…) “Now, most of the matches I see in the Premier League are not, for me, a pleasure to watch”he explained, before qualifying his remarks: “But it’s always interesting because it’s very competitive. And that’s what makes this championship great. »
“It’s the zoo”
For his part, Mathys Tel gave a similar speech in the podcast Zack freewheeling : “I’m going to tell the truth, yes, it’s not a show”confided the former Rennais. “It’s tough to see, it’s really an opposition between two teams who have their own ideas. There is less spectacle, there is not a Vinicius who will give you a sombrero, dribble, a Kylian (Mbappé) who will give you an acceleration… There, I would say that it is more structured, perhaps too much, with clear ideas, everything that is set pieces, small details which can sometimes make the difference. But sometimes you can tell yourself that maybe it’s too much. »
“The clashes in the area in front of the goalkeepers? I told the assistant coach who takes care of set pieces: ‘don’t put me in marking’. Because it’s the zoo! We’re all stuck together, everyone pushes each other, throws each other to the ground, holds each other… Let it go. The guard can no longer go out, he can no longer see”added the former Roten member.
