Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Aston Villa, Europa League, UEFA, Football
Ryan Smart
Maccabi Tel Aviv have released a statement after their fans were blocked from attending next month's Europa League group stage clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Villa announced on Thursday that they had been instructed by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to block the sales of tickets to any Maccabi supporters.
In a statement, West Midlands Police confirmed that they had advised the SAG that they held public safety concerns, both outside the stadium and in their 'ability to deal with any potential protests on the night'.
They therefore classified the match as 'high risk', a decision based on 'current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam'.
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Over 60 people were arrested after rioters launched a series of 'hit and run attacks' on Israeli fans, with Amsterdam officials claiming that the attacks were fuelled by a 'toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism and anger'.
Dutch police stated that there were 'incidents on both sides' both before and during the match, with some Maccabi fans tearing down a Palestinian flag from a building in the city centre, engaging in anti-Palestine chants and attacking a taxi.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer claimed that banning Maccabi fans from attending Villa Park was the 'wrong decision'.
UEFA, meanwhile, re-iterated that local authorities are responsible for safety and security-related decisions, but said: "[UEFA] encourages both teams and their competent authorities to agree on the implementation of appropriate measures necessary to allow this to happen."
Since then, Maccabi's derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday was cancelled after what police described as 'serious public disturbance and violence' between the two sets of fans.
Footage posted online showed both fans involved in the riots on the streets of Tel Aviv, with police horses stationed around the scene.
Fans of both clubs reportedly threw flares, smoke grenades and stones at each other from the stands.
Maccabi have now released their own statement on the Villa ban, confirming that the Israeli club will not accept any tickets for the Europa League match.
"The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount, and from hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context," the statement reads.
"We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.
"We believe that football should be about bringing people together not driving them apart.
"Our fans regularly travel all over Europe without incident and to suggest that the reason our fans cannot be allowed to travel is due to their behaviour is an attempt to distort reality.
"We acknowledge the efforts of the UK government and police to ensure both sets of fans can attend the match safely, and are grateful for the messages of support from across the footballing community."