Marca have a lot of coverage on Tottenham in their Monday edition, and it certainly feels well intentioned, however one piece will raise eyebrows and understandably cause a stir.
Ahead of Tottenham travelling to the Bernabeu, Marca have looked into the history of the club, trying to give an insight for fans in Spain.
Unfortunately, they seem to have got parts spectacularly wrong.
Playing up the club’s Jewish connection, Marca more than suggest Spurs are hated throughout the country for this, explaining: ‘Throughout history they’ve been frowned upon by the fan-bases of other London clubs, mainly its great enemy, Arsenal, but also by West Ham, Chelsea… and clubs of lower pedigree of the capital, moving the animosity to the rest of the country, where it’s normal to hear a deafening chant jump to the pitch: “Stand up if you hate Tottenham.”‘
‘Their Jewish heritage has historically turned them into a club seen badly by rivals, but in their 135 years of life there’s always been style and great players.’
To suggest Tottenham are loathed around the country because of their Jewish connection, and there’s real hatred because of it, just doesn’t match with reality. To suggest Tottenham are one of England’s most disliked clubs not only fails the reality test, but the opposite may be closer.
After saying ‘those who know the situation closely assure 90% of Spurs fans haven’t stepped into a synagogue in their entire lives’, as if it’s ok now, Tottenham are somehow cleaner because of this, Marca explain how Tottenham fans have ‘reclaimed’ the derogatory yid term, and use it themselves.
The Spanish newspaper make a big point of Tottenham’s history of playing good football, and their reputation, and subsequent pressure, over style, but then come around again to painting the picture of Spurs as a loathed club.
Ardiles & Villa and the Falklands war made Tottenham a ‘further enemy, rejected by all stadiums in the country’, ending the piece off with ‘one more reason to be hated’.
