Why Tottenham fans released yellow balloons during Carabao Cup tie against Man Utd

Several Tottenham fans held up and released yellow balloons during their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United on Thursday evening.

Ange Postecoglou’s side got off to a flying start during Thursday’s tie with United, with Dominic Solanke taking advantage of Altay Bayındır’s mistake when he parried James Maddison’s long-range effort into the path of the former Bournemouth striker on the 15-minute mark.

Dejan Kulusevski doubled their lead on 46 minutes before Solanke netted his second and Spurs' third on 54 minutes.

However, United substitute Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back on 63 minutes before Amad took advantage of Fraser Forster's mistimed clearance seven minutes later. But Spurs added a fourth directly from Son Heung-min's corner two minutes from full-time.

On 94 minutes, Jonny Evans headed home United's third of the evening, but it was ultimately Spurs who progressed to the semi-final stage.

Members of the crowd could be seen releasing yellow balloons in support of a British Spurs supporter, Emily Damari, 28, who is being held in Gaza, according to the Mirror.

She is the last remaining British hostage who was kidnapped during the events of October 7, 2023, meaning she has now been detained for 440 days and was last seen alive on January 2024, according to the Mirror’s report.

Damari’s mother, Mandy, was raised in Beckenham, Greater London and said her Tottenham-fan daughter loved to visit the UK.

Emily was taken from Kfar Aza kibbutz last year before being taken to Gaza.

Spurs fans had previously held a rally outside of the Tottenham Stadium ahead of the club’s 4-1 win against Aston Villa on November 3.

Her mother spoke to the BBC about the situation earlier in December.

Yellow balloons at the Tottenham Stadium (Credit:Getty)

“I fear that she's dead," Mandy told the BBC.

"And if she's not dead, she's not getting enough food to eat, she's not able to wash herself, drink water, she could be ill.

“She's suffering from gunshot wounds to her hand and her leg... I worry every day, I worry every second because in the next second, she could be murdered, just because she's there.”