Spurs boss blasts Belgrade ‘racist’, ’anti-Semitic’ banner after Europa League clash, Latest Football News - The New Paper
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Spurs boss blasts Belgrade ‘racist’, ’anti-Semitic’ banner after Europa League clash

 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino blasted an anti-Semitic banner unfurled by Partizan Belgrade fans as “unacceptable” and “disrespectful” after European football was again embroiled in a racism row.

A huge banner bearing the words “Only Jews and Pussies” was displayed throughout Thursday’s Europa League match between the two teams in the Serbian capital.

“I didn’t see but the club is aware. And if it is true, that it is very disrespectful,” Pochettino told the British media after the game which ended in a 0-0 draw.

North London club Tottenham have long enjoyed close links with the Jewish community.

Disrespectful, unacceptable

“It is a shame as it was a great atmosphere. It is very disrespectful, unacceptable and a massive problem for us.”

Partizan were kicked out of the UEFA Cup in 2007 for hooligan-related problems and the club is certain to face more sanctions following Thursday’s incident.

On the pitch, Tottenham, in their fourth Europa League campaign, made no fewer than 10 changes from the side that drew with Sunderland in the Premier League at the weekend, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris the only survivor.

Harry Kane almost gave the north Londoners a dream start to their bid to get out of Group C, his first minute attempt hitting the bar.

But despite looking dangerous on occasions Tottenham lacked the killer touch and were unable to find a way through Partizan’s defence. - AFP

Full results:

Borussia Moenchengladbach 1-1 Villarreal 
Apollon Limassol                  3-2  FC Zürich 
Club Brugge                         0-0 Torino
FC Copenhagen                    2-0 HJK Helsinki 
Partizan Belgrade                 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Besiktas                              1-1 Asteras Tripolis 
Salzburg                              2-2 Celtic  
Dinamo Zagreb                     5-1 FC Astra 
PSV Eindhoven                    1-0 Estoril 
Panathinaikos                      1-2 Dinamo Moscow 
Qarabag                              0-0 Saint-Etienne 
Dnipropetrovsk                     0-1 Inter Milan 
Belgium  Standard Liege      2-0 Rijeka 
Sevilla                                2-0 Feyenoord
Lille                                   1-1 FC Krasnodar
Everton                              4-1 VfL Wolfsburg 
Young Boys                       5-0 Slovan Bratislava
Napoli                               3-1 Sparta Prague
Steaua Bucharest              6-0​ Aalborg 
Rio Ave                             0-3 Dynamo Kiev 
PAOK                               6-1 Dinamo Minsk
Fiorentina                          3-0 Guingamp 
Metalist Kharkiv                 1-2 Trabzonspor
Legia Warsaw                   1-0 Lokeren 

Source: AFP

 

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