Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv: Why there will be 700 police officers and zero away fans at Europa League match | OneFootball

Aston Villa host Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League on Thursday night after the fixture prompted weeks of controversy.

Away fans for the Israeli club have been banned from attending, with the Premier League club sharing the decision made by Birmingham City’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who issue safety certificates for matches at the Villa Park stadium.

The decision has sparked anger from Sir Keir Starmer and others, with the prime minister emphasising that the police should “ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation”.

While Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled the decision “a national disgrace,” with discussion in recent months about the inclusion of Israeli teams in international competitions as a result of the Israel-Gaza war.

After the ceasefire agreed last month, the fixture is set to go ahead. Here is where we stand amid security concerns for this Uefa Europa League league phase match:

Why are there no away fans?

The call local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), with help from an assessment from West Midlands Police that the match was “high-risk”, decided that approximately 1,000 Maccabi fans would be banned from attending.

The decision was not only made with the context of the Israel-Gaza war, with police adding that the move was also “based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam".

There were strong calls to reverse the decision, which was deemed politically controversial, but Maccabi stated on 20 October that they would snub the offer of tickets due to “a toxic atmosphere has been created which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt.”

Are there any recent examples of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at away matches that have influenced the decision?

Violent clashes and hate crime offences took place around the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last year, which the Eredivisie side won 5-0.

Pro-Palestinian supporters and Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv clashed in the Dutch capital. Amsterdam’s police chief said Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire the day before the match, as well as chanting anti-Palestinian slogans on matchday. The clashes led to dozens of arrests, while five people were imprisoned.

There have been accusations of antisemitic attacks in the immediate aftermath of the clashes from 6-7 November. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema claimed the incidents caused “a black night and a dark day” for the city, claiming antisemitic “criminals” attacked Jewish visitors and that “it was hit and run”.

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Prime minister Keir Starmer has criticised the decision to ban the fans (PA)

What measures are in place and will there be an increased police presence?

It has been widely reported that there will be more than 700 police officers on duty on the evening of the game in and around Villa Park Stadium. Horses, dogs, a drone unit, and road policing officers will be present and there is a no-fly zone around the ground. The community in the Aston area is 73.3 percent Muslim, according to the 2021 Census.

While there will be a heightened police presence between Aston and Witton train stations, West Midlands Railways has confirmed.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, has told Reuters that competent local authorities are responsible for the decision over fan safety.

Some supporters have reacted negatively to the decision, pointing out it will impact the atmosphere, while Jonny Gould, former director of the Aston Villa Supporters Trust, maintains he “doesn’t want politics in the business of football”.

While a more serious impact from the decision, according to Maccabi Tel Aviv chair Jack Angelides, is how it might set a precedent for how events are handled moving forward.

“To be frank, it’s met with some dismay about what this potentially is signalling,” he told Radio 4’s Today show. “I do think this is an extremely important moment because of what it signifies. I don’t use this term lightly but people ask: ‘What does antisemitism look like?' "And it’s often manifested as part of a process – a process, in other words, small events leading up to something that’s more.”

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Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fans at the end of their Europa League match against PAOK in Thessaloniki, Greece in September (AP)

Birmingham Police commander Ch Supt Tom Joyce confirmed that protests are expected to take place on the day, with plans in place “to balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham.”

There could also be counter-protests with support for Israel.