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LONDON. — Spanish sports newspaper Marca has caused outrage by claiming Tottenham’s “Jewish origins” are the reason they are disliked by other clubs. The paper published a full-page article on the origins and history of the London club in their Monday edition ahead of their Champions League group stage meeting with Real Madrid tonight.

The sub-headline to the piece, written under the byline of Enrique Ortega, reads: “Their Jewish origins have made them into a club disliked by rival fans.” The article begins by describing the foundation of the club in the late 19th century, with Ortega writing: “Formed by young people and businessmen from the area of Jewish origins, they have always had to carry the weight of being the club ‘par excellence’ of the Hebrew community.”

It continues: “Throughout their history, they have been frowned upon by the followers of other London clubs, mainly by their big enemy Arsenal, but also by the followers of West Ham and Chelsea and other capital clubs of a lesser pedigree, spreading the animosity to the rest of the country, where it is normal to hear the deafening chant ‘stand up if you hate Tottenham’ when they take to the field.

“Since its beginnings, the club has had an undeniable connection with the Jewish community represented in directors, coaches and players. And the current owner and president, Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy, are Jewish.

“But those who know the club up close say that 90 percent of Spurs fans have never set foot inside a synagogue in their lives. Despite the feeling of being hated, they have assimilated Jewish symbols into the stands, especially at their old White Hart Lane stadium, where the flags of the Star of David fluttered. They have even defined themselves, in their songs, as ‘yids’, the word that their rivals use in derogatory way to describe them.”

The final section of the piece describes how the fact Spurs had Argentine players Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa in their side during the 1982 Falklands Conflict only made them more hated by other clubs.Ortega writes: “What could not have been foreseen is that these two signings, in time, because of the military conflict with Argentina, would see the club seen even more as the enemy and repudiated in all of the stadiums in the country.

“Ardiles and Villa were whistled and insulted every time they touched the ball and the reaction of White Hart Lane was to start to chant: ‘Argentina, Argentina’. One more reason to be hated.”

The article caused outrage on social media and Spurs have condemned the sentiments in it.

A Tottenham 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.” —Mailonline.