Tottenham Turmoil After Home Defeat
Tottenham Hotspur's frustrations boiled over in a very public way following their 2-1 home defeat to Fulham in the Premier League. A furious Pedro Porro was seen rowing with teammate Lucas Bergvall before storming down the tunnel, refusing to applaud the supporters.
Pitch-Side Argument and Fan Reaction
The incident occurred at full-time as the Spurs players faced a chorus of boos from their own fans after falling to their fourth Premier League defeat in six games. The match turned sour early on when goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made an error that led to Fulham doubling their lead after just six minutes, prompting some supporters to boo him during the game.
As the final whistle blew, the disagreement between Porro and Bergvall ignited. The 19-year-old Bergvall began to walk around the pitch to show his appreciation to the remaining home supporters. This act appeared to infuriate Porro, who was seen screaming Bergvall's name. The right-back then removed his shirt and headed straight for the tunnel, bypassing the customary post-match applause.
Manager's Verdict and Wider Context
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank stated he did not witness Porro's reaction but emphasised the need for calm during a difficult period. However, he was unequivocal in his criticism of the fans who booed Vicario, stating they could not be 'true Tottenham fans'.
"I didn't like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times when he touched the ball," Frank said. "They can’t be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch." He deemed such behaviour during the match as "unacceptable," though he understood the frustration after the final whistle.
This is not an isolated incident of player dissent at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Just weeks prior, Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence ignored the manager's instructions to applaud the fans after a home defeat to Chelsea, for which they later apologised.
The defeat to Fulham extends a miserable home record for Spurs. The club has not won a Premier League match at home since the opening weekend of the season and has now suffered 10 league defeats at home in this calendar year alone.
