Third pitch invader being pinned to the pitch by stewards and officials during Spurs match with Partizan Belgrade at White Hart Lane in north London
A pitch invader stops to shake hands with Tottenham Hotspur’s Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen (R) during the UEFA Europa League group C football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Partizan Belgrade at White Hart Lane in north London. All Photos by AFP
The Group C tie in north London was interrupted on three separate occasions in the first half by individual pitch invaders before referee Yevhen Aranovskiy decided to take the players off for their own safety in the 41st minute.
After several minutes of confusion among the crowd, with fears growing that the match would be abandoned, an announcement over the public address system confirmed play would resume.
The first invader had come on in the 22nd minute and had time to shake hands with Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen and also take two separate photos with Spurs stars Kyle Naughton and Erik Lamela before stewards finally intervened.
There was another invasion five minutes later, prompting an angry reaction from Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado, who tugged at the man’s shirt.
When a third person came onto the pitch just before half-time wearing the same t-shirt, with the slogan ‘Bassbud FC’, as the two previous offenders, it added to speculation that the problem was a coordinated effort and possibly some kind of publicity stunt.
The incidents are certain to provoke a UEFA investigation into Tottenham’s security arrangements.