Tottenham send fans warning ahead of Europa League clash with Galatasaray amid heightened tensions in Istanbul following Ankara terror attack

Tottenham have been in liaison with the British embassy in Turkiye to warn travelling fans of the heightened tensions and police presence in Istanbul since the latest terror attack in the country. More than two thousand Spurs fans are travelling to see them play Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday and there are concerns about possible flashpoints caused by any combination of the stresses from the terror threat, war in the Middle East, and the North London club's Jewish heritage, which features in songs and banners, on top of the usual football rivalries. Tottenham are set to face Istanbul-based Galatasaray on Thursday night's Europa League tie Spurs fans have been warned about the club's flag policy - which prohibits any banners 'of any political or religious affiliation' The match comes less than a month after an armed attack in the Turkish capital of Ankara 'The club has always considered that a football match is a time to show allegiance to a football team first and foremost,' states the Spurs advice on flags. 'A football match is not an appropriate arena to display flags of any political or religious affiliation or anything that could possibly be considered inflammatory – this can include national flags during times of political conflicts, campaigns or issues.'