Tottenham are “hated” for their Jewish origins, Spain’s best-selling newspaper Marca has claimed.
The Madrid-based sports daily printed the shocking claims on Monday as part of their preview for Spurs’ visit to Real Madrid in the Champions League this week.
Tottenham are described as a club “hated, but with good footballing style.”
And they expand on that by claiming “their Jewish origin has made them into a club disliked by rival fans,” before adding “but in their 135 years of existence they have always had style and great players.”
While Spurs do traditionally have a large Jewish following, the club was actually formed by members of Hotspur Cricket Club in 1882 with assistance from a Bible class teacher from the local church, John Ripsher, who would eventually become the club’s first president.
A Spurs statement in response read: “We are astonished that a publication such as Marca, which presents itself as an alleged source of professional journalism, has seen fit to publish such an article which is blatantly wrong and wholly distasteful.”
Marca’s front page focuses on the visit of Harry Kane, “the goalscorer of the moment in Europe” who will lead the line for Spurs as they look to get a famous result at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night
to refrain from singing an anti-semitic song about Tottenham in tribute to record signing Alvaro Morata.
In celebration of Morata, Blues fans had penned a chant: “Alvaro, oh, Alvaro, oh. He came from Real Madrid, he hates the f****** Yids.”
poRTada de Marca pic.twitter.com/dXt0BfOsdO
— J. I. Gallardo (@JIGallardo) 15 de octubre de 2017
The word ‘Yid’ is a pejorative term used to describe people of the Jewish faith. It has also been used to describe supporters of Chelsea’s rivals Tottenham Hotspur, due to the perception that the north London club has a large Jewish following.
A Chelsea statement issued after the victory over Leicester read: “The club and the players appreciate the fans’ passionate support away from home but the language in that song is not acceptable at all.
“We have spoken to Alvaro after the game, he does not want to be connected with that song in any way. Both the club and the player request the supporters stop singing that song with immediate effect.”
In 2013, the Football Association warned supporters of all clubs that chanting the word ‘Yid’ could result in arrest as part of an attempt to stamp out discriminatory language at football grounds.