Valencia have risked opening themselves up to a backlash after claiming they investigating whether a fan who was filmed making Nazi salutes and monkey gestures was provoked by Arsenal supporters.

The Spanish clubs issued a statement on Friday to condemn the actions of those involved, who were filmed during Arsenal’s 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night in the Europa League semi-final first leg.

The club also said that is will look into whether they are members or season ticket holders and, if so, will take the “appropriate disciplinary measures” against them.

But in a three-point statement, the club also said that it will investigate whether the away supporters were provoked into making the gestures.

A Valencia statement read: “Although these attitudes are absolutely unjustifiable in any case, Valencia Football Club is trying to obtain information, in the same way, about possible provocations, prior to the said verbal and gestural confrontation, between people from the local and visitor stands.

Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Show all 22 1 /22 Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Petr Cech 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Arsenal's Petr Cech reacts after Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby scored their first goal REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Shkodran Mustafi 6 Arsenal's German defender Shkodran Mustafi (L) vies with Valencia's Portuguese midfielder Goncalo Guedes (R) during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg, football match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 2, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images GLYN KIRK AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Sokratis Papastathopoulos 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby and Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathopoulos REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Laurent Koscielny 7 Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, left, challenges for the ball with Valencia's Rodrigo during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth AP Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Ainsley Maitland-Niles 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Valencia's Jose Gaya in action with Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs PAUL CHILDS Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Matteo Guendouzi 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil look dejected after Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby scored their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs PAUL CHILDS Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Granit Xhaka 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal battles with Carlos Soler of Valencia during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Shaun Botterill Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Sead Kolasinac 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal battles for possession with Cristiano Piccini of Valencia during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Justin Setterfield Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Mesut Ozil 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil looks dejected after Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby scored their first goal REUTERS/David Klein DAVID KLEIN REUTERS Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Alexandre Lacazette 8 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Semi final, first leg match at The Emirates Stadium, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 2, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Arsenal. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire Mike Egerton PA Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 8 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in action with Valencia's Ezequiel Garay and Neto before Alexandre Lacazette scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs PAUL CHILDS Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Norberto Murara Neto 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Norberto Murara Neto and Gabriel Paulista of Valencia celebrate as Mouctar Diakhaby of Valencia scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Justin Setterfield Arsenal FC via Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Cristiano Piccini 6 epa07543115 Valencia's Cristiano Piccini in action during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg soccer match between Arsenal FC and Valencia CF in London, Britain, 02 May 2019. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Gabriel 6 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, right, challenges for the ball with Valencia's Gabriel, during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth AP Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Ezequiel Garay 6 Valencia's Spanish coach Marcelino Garcia Toral (R) talks with Valencia's Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay (L) during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg, football match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 2, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images GLYN KIRK AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Facundo Roncaglia 6 Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette (L) vies with Valencia's Argentinian defender Facundo Roncaglia (R) during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg, football match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 2, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images GLYN KIRK AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Jose Gaya 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Valencia's Jose Gaya in action REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Carlos Soler 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal battles with Carlos Soler of Valencia during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Shaun Botterill Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Mouctar Diakhaby 7 epa07543176 Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby celebrates scoring during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg soccer match between Arsenal FC and Valencia CF in London, Britain, 02 May 2019. EPA/WILL OLIVER WILL OLIVER EPA Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Daniel Parejo 7 Arsenal's Sead Kolasinac, right, goes for the header with Valencia's Daniel Parejo during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates stadium in London, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth AP Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Rodrigo 6 Valencia's Spanish striker Rodrigo (L) runs with the ball during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg, football match between Arsenal and Valencia at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 2, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images GLYN KIRK AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Arsenal vs Valencia Goncalo Guedes 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Arsenal v Valencia - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - May 2, 2019 Valencia's Goncalo Guedes reacts after a missed chance REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS

The statement risks sending out a dangerous message that racist abuse used as a response to provocation can be used as a mitigating circumstance, especially at a time when football is under significant pressure to address the racial hatred that has tarnished the game’s reputation.

When contacted by The Independent, anti-racism group Kick It Out stressed that racist abuse that had been provoked is still racist abuse, no matter what the situation.

"Racist behaviour cannot be justified whatever the provocation,” a spokesman said.

“To suggest otherwise casts a doubt on the sincerity of calling such behaviour ‘absolutely unjustifiable’."

Valencia did say that it takes a “zero tolerance” approach against the gestures, which were filmed as supporters left the stadium following the match, and claimed that the individuals involved does not represent the wider fan base of the club.

“In relation to the images in the stands of Arsenal Stadium appearing on social networks, Valencia CF publicly condemns bluntly and expresses its firmest rejection and zero tolerance, as it has always done, towards the isolated gestures of people located in the visitor's stand and that, evidently, do not represent in any way the Valencian fans.

“In contact with its legal services, (the club) is working on identifying the responsible individuals to proceed, in case of being members of the club, to take the necessary disciplinary measures, for which we request the collaboration of the rest of the fans located in the same stadium tier.”

Arsenal also condemned the actions of the Valencia fans. The Premier League club said in a statement: “We are working with Valencia on this. We utterly condemn such behaviour. It has no place in society or football.