Kick It Out: Black players may look to avoid penalties after abuse of Mathys Tel
France Under-21 international Tel is the latest player to be targeted on social media after he missed a spot kick in Wednesday night's UEFA Super League penalty shoot-out defeat to Paris St Germain.
The Premier League club lost the shoot-out 4-3 after they had surrendered a late 2-0 lead in Italy to draw 2-2 after 90 minutes.
Tottenham said they were 'disgusted' by the abuse directed at Tel and Kick It Out claim social media companies are still not doing enough to combat online racism.
A Kick It Out statement read: 'If you're a black player, it would be totally understandable to think, 'Why would I want to take a penalty?' That's the state of the game right now, and the sad fact is, it's nothing new.
'Players are routinely targeted with racism online and want action; we want action, too.
'Accountability from offenders and social media companies is a baseline, but it's not being met.
'Football bodies, authorities, and the regulator Ofcom, must come together to accelerate a plan that better protects players.
'Their welfare should always be paramount, and we stand with Mathys Tel and all those who have suffered this continuing, racist abuse.'
Tottenham, who initially signed Tel on loan from Bayern Munich in January before making the move permanent in a £30million deal in June, said the player had shown 'bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty' .
The club said in a statement: 'We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's UEFA Super Cup defeat.
'Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards – hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views.
'We will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify. We stand with you, Mathys.'
Tottenham led 2-0 until the 85th minute at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, through goals from Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero before late efforts from Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos hauled PSG level.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
a few seconds ago
- Metro
Daniel Sturridge says Man Utd ace was 'best player on the pitch' against Arsenal
Daniel Sturridge hailed Manchester United summer signing Matheus Cunha as the 'best player on the pitch' after the opening-day defeat to Arsenal. United, who finished 15th in the Premier League last season, produced an improved performance at Old Trafford but still fell to a defeat, Riccardo Calafiori scoring the only goal of the game. Calafiori was on hand on the line to head home in the 13th-minute after Altay Bayindir flapped at Declan Rice's inswinging corner. Both teams had chances to score after Calafiori's opener but the game finished 1-0 with Mikel Arteta's side returning to north London with three points. While United suffered yet another home defeat under Amorim, there were signs of progress from the Red Devils, particularly with summer signings Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. 'I thought Cunha lit the place up today,' ex-England striker Sturridge said on Sky Sports. 'He was Man United's best player and for me, maybe the best player on the pitch. 'What he will bring is something different to United, they haven't had someone like him. He will get fans on the edge of their seat. He's going to be a special player for the team. 'United showed a different side to Arsenal that we haven't seen in that they were a bit more open, especially in central areas. 'All in all United's attack will be going away and thinking to themselves, 'On another day I could be walking away with one or two'. 'If I was Mbeumo I would be going to bed thinking, 'Wow, I should have left with a goal today'.' Ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane was also 'encouraged' by aspects of the hosts' performance but said there were still 'problems' throughout the team. 'The expectations at United now are so low, that even Gary [Neville] said on commentary, everyone is OK with a 1-0 defeat,' he said. 'They've got to do better. 'It does worry me. Some of the new signings, there was encouragement with that. They were getting you up the pitch with a bit of power. 'Things will improve, it's tough against Arsenal, but no goals and another defeat. There's still problems there with Manchester United.' Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, felt his team 'deserved more' against Arsenal and claimed United were the 'better team'. 'We deserved more and we were the better team, that is clear but in the end we lost,' he said. 'We need to work on the things we need to improve. We need to defend set pieces. But we did a lot things right. More Trending 'There are a lot of things without seeing the video that we need to work. I am really proud of my players. 'We were more aggressive and brave. In certain moments I think Bryan [Mbeumo] and Cunha helped a lot. 'We stuck to the plan even when the stadium is nervous, we continued to play the way we played and that will help us in the future.' Manchester United will look for their first points of the new season next Sunday when they face Fulham at Craven Cottage. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: 'Invisible' – Liverpool legend criticises two Chelsea players after Crystal Palace draw MORE: Man Utd and Liverpool enter transfer race for Republic of Ireland international MORE: Picture of Man Utd star outside Old Trafford vandalised ahead of Arsenal clash
BBC News
a minute ago
- BBC News
Have your say on latest loan arrival Meghoma
Brentford left-back Jayden Meghoma says he's "hungry and excited" to get going at Rangers after joining the Ibrox club on loan. The 19-year-old links up with Russell Martin's side having spent the second half of last term on loan at Preston North End. The defender previously had spells with Tottenham and Southampton and was handed his senior debut for the Saints by Rangers boss Martin in 2023. "I am very excited to be here," Meghoma said."It is a fantastic club, and I know a lot about the rich history of Rangers. When the deal was presented to me, I thought straight away that it would be a fantastic opportunity for myself and my family."The main thing for me is getting results. Rangers is a big club, and I am ready, I am hungry and excited to get going."Boss Martin says Meghoma is a player with "potential, real athleticism and a great attitude".Rangers fans, what do you make of the signing? Are you pleased to bolster your defence? Rangers now have four loan signings, including three in defence - does that concern you?Have your say on Meghoma signing
Daily Mail
a minute ago
- Daily Mail
The Review: Former Celtic prospect Tsoanelo Letsosa puts his best foot forward with Partick Thistle
Young Partick Thistle midfielder Tsoanelo Letsosa could be the best player in the Championship this season — as long as he remembers to bring his boots. The 21-year-old former Celtic prospect has been a breath of fresh air, on and off the pitch, since moving to Firhill from Belgian club Lommel in the summer. He has captured the imagination in all but one of his five appearances, the exception being a subdued display in the 5-1 defeat at McDiarmid Park on the opening day of the league season. 'He played against St Johnstone,' confirmed Thistle manager Mark Wilson. 'And he'll probably not like me telling this, but we thought something was off with him. He forgot his boots, so he had to wear the centre-half's boots. So, a lesson learned.' Not an ideal start, you might think, but Thistle will soon forget about that if the Lesotho-born player continues to be as bright and exciting as he has been since signing a two-year deal in the summer. Letsosa scored on his debut against Queen of the South, won the penalty that earned Thistle a point against Morton and caught the eye in their Premier Sports Cup win against Ayr United yesterday. That 2-0 triumph at Firhill set up a quarter-final tie at home to Celtic, the club with whom Letsosa spent six years as an academy player after moving to Scotland with his family at a young age. Capped by Scotland at youth level, Letsosa was highly-thought of at Celtic, but he rejected a new contract in 2023 and opted instead to further his career in the Belgian second division. The idea was to play regular first-team football there, but he returned to Scotland in July and the hope is that Thistle can be the platform he has been waiting for. While Dan O'Reilly and Logan Chalmers got the goals in a deserved victory against Ayr, it was the spark provided by Letsosa that many were talking about afterwards. Quite apart from having two good feet, a quick turn of pace and an eye for goal, he has an infectious personality that is endearing him to his manager, his team-mates and the Thistle supporters. 'He's brilliant,' said Wilson. 'What a character. Have you ever got to speak to him as well? He lights up a room and he lights up a pitch with the way he moves with the ball.' With his Celtic schooling, and his experience in Belgium, Letsosa has a good attitude to go with his natural ability. 'He was terrific today,' added Wilson. 'You could see how much ground he covers and his data backs that up as well. But he's got real quality. So, when he's on top of his game, he's going to be hard to better in this division.' So far, Thistle's league campaign has not gone to plan, but they have won all five of their games in a compelling Premier Sports Cup adventure. Letsosa and his team-mates have every reason to be excited about their sixth. Savvy Steelmen show there's life after Lennon As Motherwell have proved time and again over the years, the departure of a top player need not be a debilitating blow. Just as they dealt capably with the sale of David Turnbull to Celtic, so can they be expected to take Lennon Miller's record-breaking £4.7million move to Udinese in their stride. Selling players for a handy fee and rebuilding their team is nothing new to the Lanarkshire club, who understand and embrace where they stand in the football food chain. As Miller prepares to make a potential debut for Udinese in tomorrow night's Coppa Italia tie against Carrarese, manager Jens Berthel Askou and his remaining players have already moved on. Together, they have a team ethic and playing style that is more important than any individual, as St Johnstone discovered to their cost in the Premier Sports Cup. At McDiarmid Park, Motherwell passed, passed and passed again until it wore down their Championship opponents and bore fruit with an extra-time winner from Lukas Fadinger. The deserved 1-0 victory set up a quarter-final tie away to Aberdeen and, perhaps more importantly, showed a vision that should serve them well in the Premiership. Motherwell dominate the ball, have made some intriguing signings — playmaker Elijah Just is one to watch — and so far lack only the goals to show for their share of possession. But that will surely come, especially if they sign a scorer between now and the end of the transfer window. They can't say they don't have the money.
