Tottenham Hotspur face a Uefa investigation after three separate but apparently coordinated and pre-planned pitch invasions led to their Europa League tie against Partizan Belgrade being temporarily suspended on Thursday night.
It appeared to be a ‘sponsored’ or orchestrated action with all the tickets used by the invaders already traced back to the same person. A fourth ticket was also bought while the men wore numbered, branded T-shirts.
The club announced that the three men had been arrested and issued an apology on their website but that is unlikely to head off action from Uefa whose match delegate had already warned that the players would be taken off if there was another incursion after the second incident.
In the 41st minute referee Yevhen Aranovskiy then duly led the players off with a plea for fans to remain in their seats issued over the public address before the teams eventually returned.
On each occasion the intruder wore a logoed T-shirt for a headphones company, raising the prospect that their action was some kind of marketing stunt.
The company named last night denied any involvement in the stunt but, for the meantime, Spurs have pulled all reference to the firm, who have an association with Tottenham and other clubs through a licensed merchandising deal, from their website until all the investigations are complete.
Despite the company’s denial there were some suspicious messages posted on social media websites and one retweeted by them ahead of the match suggesting something might happen.
Tickets went on general sale for the tie but if the men involved are Spurs fans – which the club believe is unlikely – they will receive life bans. If Spurs are fined by Uefa the club may also even seek to recoup the money from whoever was behind the stunt, especially if it is a company.
Spurs also defended the behaviour of their stewards who appeared extremely slow to react. The club said they had to be cautious and did not want too many people on the pitch so as not to inflame the situation.
But there may even also be further action from Uefa’s control and disciplinary board because two of the Spurs players – Roberto Soldado and Mousa Dembélé – became involved themselves in stopping the men. Spurs accept the players should stand aside in such a situation but they may face a charge of violent conduct.
Uefa will begin an investigation once it receives the reports from the match officials and its own delegates.
Spurs are likely to face a fine for inadequate stewarding and security measures. A partial stadium closure is among the possible sanctions, or the threat of a closure if there is another incident – but that would be unlikely.
There was further drama with an Albanian flag briefly unfurled – which could have been provocative given the Serbian opposition – before that was quickly confiscated. The incident was not linked to the pitch invasions.
The first pitch invasion was the strangest because the intruder was allowed to run into the centre circle and stood next to the Spurs defender, Kyle Naughton, before taking a photograph on his phone. Even then it took the stewards an inordinate amount of time to force him off the pitch.
The second man then tried the same trick with Soldado, who pulled the shirt off the man’s back before he was eventually floored by stewards. The third man was halted by Dembélé tripping him up as he tried to take a camera phone from his pocket.
“I am very disappointed but I think all the club, our supporters too and all people that love the game of football because this is a very strange situation,” said the Spurs manager, Mauricio Pochettino, of the invasions.
In their statement Spurs said: “Three pitch invaders at tonight’s match have been arrested and are assisting police with their inquiries. We shall provide an update as soon as we have established the full facts. We apologise to fans for the disruptions caused by this totally unacceptable behaviour.”
In the match Spurs eased into the last 32 of the competition with a Group C victory that means they are now unbeaten in 18 Europa League group stage matches. It came courtesy of Benjamin Stambouli, the midfielder’s first goal for Spurs as he turned the ball home after Soldado’s clipped shot had come back off the post.
There would have been more goals in an otherwise entertaining encounter but for some poor finishing – Soldado endured another difficult evening – and some fine goalkeeping from Partizan’s Milan Lukac. There was also a superb late block from the Spurs captain, Hugo Lloris, as he tipped away a header.
Spurs should have had a penalty when substitute Harry Kane was hacked down but had to settle for Stambouli’s goal which came as he strode forward early in the second half to find Soldado and then collect the rebound.
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