Tottenham's James Maddison presents new penalty evidence to "petrified" referees after Leeds draw

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has hit out at "petrified" Premier League referees after he was denied a late penalty in Monday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United.

Roberto De Zerbi's men had the chance to move four points clear of the relegation zone on home soil, and they were on course to do that thanks to Mathys Tel's stunning opening goal in the second half.

The Frenchman was the villain at the other end of the field, though, catching Ethan Ampadu with a high foot in the penalty area, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Spurs then wanted a penalty of their own deep into added time when Maddison went down under pressure from Lukas Nmecha, but Jarred Gillett waved away the appeals on the pitch, and his decision was backed up by the VAR room.

Craig Pawson and assistant Nick Hopton decided that the Leeds attacker had played the ball, and De Zerbi refused to criticise the officials in his post-match press conference.

James Maddison claims referee got Tottenham-Leeds penalty decision wrong

However, Maddison took to Instagram on Monday night to suggest that the referees got the decision wrong, and that he was the one who touched the ball rather than Nmecha.

"For clarity, the small tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha," Maddison said in a story, accompanied with a screenshot of the moment in question.

"I told the ref that but the check was over in about 20 seconds. Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS."

Despite Tottenham's late disappointment on Monday night, De Zerbi's side can still secure Premier League survival if results go their way in the penultimate gameweek.

The Lilywhites are two points clear of West Ham United in the Premier League table, and they will be safe if they beat Chelsea and the Irons fail to win against Newcastle United.

What happens next for Tottenham after James Maddison penalty decision?

James Maddison on Instagram pic.twitter.com/1MQooOgAV3
— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) May 12, 2026

Even though Maddison is firm in his belief that the referees were wrong, it will not change the outcome of the match, nor Spurs' position in the rankings.

However, this is unlikely to be the last we hear of the incident, as the Premier League's Key Match Incidents' panel is likely to review the decision and determine whether Gillett and Pawson got it right.

Meanwhile, Tottenham can request an explanation from the PGMOL, including asking to hear the conversation between the VAR and Gillett and the rationale behind their decision.

If Spurs wish to escalate further, they can submit a formal complaint to the referees' body or the Premier League, but De Zerbi's indifferent reaction suggests that they will not go down that avenue.