Tottenham demand media ban for Brazilian reporter after footage emerges of anti-Spurs chanting with Arsenal fans

Tottenham Hotspur have taken the extraordinary step of requesting a formal ban on a journalist following the emergence of a controversial social media video. The north London club has lodged a complaint with the Premier League after footage showed a reporter participating in derogatory chants alongside rival supporters.

Spurs seek ban over viral video

ESPN Brazil correspondent Joao Castelo-Branco was filmed wearing an Arsenal shirt and joining Gunners supporters in Sao Paulo to sing anti-Tottenham songs. The footage showed the journalist participating in the infamous “We hate Tottenham” chant, which refers to the north London side as “s***”.

According to The Times, Spurs were left furious by the circulation of the clip. They immediately contacted the Premier League to demand that Castelo-Branco be prevented from covering the club in the future, which would block him from interviewing Roberto De Zerbi and the playing squad. Discussions remain ongoing to resolve the dispute, though Tottenham have clarified they are not seeking a blanket ban on the broadcaster itself.

Castelo-Branco issues apology

The Brazilian reporter has since removed the offending footage from his channels and expressed deep regret. Following an email to the club and an online meeting with his employers and the Premier League, he acknowledged his poor judgement in a statement given to The Times.

“I wanted to apologise to the club for the video I recorded with Arsenal fans in Brazil singing a derogatory chant about Tottenham Hotspur Football Club,” Castelo-Branco said. “Given my role as a correspondent in the UK I feel I made a mistake. The video was posted on the podcast Instagram page and reproduced on my personal page.”

He added: “I understand it can be offensive to Spurs and Spurs fans and I should have thought more about singing that and the reach it could have. ESPN was notified by the Premier League about Tottenham seeing and disliking the post and we agreed to delete it. Hopefully we can move on and I will rethink and be more careful with the boundaries of having that persona on the podcast.”

Professional boundaries crossed

While Castelo-Branco is not a dedicated Tottenham correspondent, his broader remit covering English football means he frequently attends Premier League fixtures. His actions drew immense scrutiny due to his prominent online profile, boasting 168,000 followers on Instagram and a further 188,000 on X.

Furthermore, the video was initially shared via ESPN Brazil’s Correspondentes Premier podcast. That platform holds an audience of over 42,000 on Instagram, amplifying the controversial clip significantly before its eventual deletion.

Bouncing back from Elland Road defeat

Away from the media controversy, Tottenham are looking to regroup on the pitch following a disappointing trip to West Yorkshire. Their impressive three-match winning streak was abruptly halted by a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.

Noah Okafor’s match-winning strike from the bench at Elland Road served as a frustrating setback. The squad will now need to refocus their efforts to regain momentum and get their domestic campaign back on track.