The two Spurs football fans who were stabbed, one critically, by Italian football hooligans in Rome ahead of tonight's Tottenham's Europa League match against Lazio, are believed to have been the victims of anti-Semitism.

Spurs are known to have a high level of Jewish supporters and the term 'Yids' is regularly as a term of abuse by rival supporters. While Lazio, has a significant amount of far right and Neo Nazi supporters. A factor which seems to tally with reports from Eyewitnesses who told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport that the gang of about 40 assailants, were yelling "Jews, Jews!" as they stabbed the two men and assaulted many more at the Drunken Ship pub in central Rome.

Italian police have been criticised for arriving 20 minutes late after the attack have said they have so far arrested six people. The oldest is 55 years old, the youngest 20. Another 15 people linked both to football and anti-Semitic violence are also reportedly under investigation. However Lazio president Caludio Lotito has denied the attack was perpetrated by his team's supporters.

Written and presented by Ann Salter