Maccabi Tel Aviv fans barred from attending Europa League clash at Villa Park | OneFootball

Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters will be prohibited from attending their side’s Europa League tie against Aston Villa on November 6, after West Midlands Police raised significant public safety concerns, Sky Sports reports.

The decision, confirmed by Villa on Thursday, was made following a meeting of the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which formally instructed the club and UEFA that no away fans would be permitted at Villa Park. The ruling comes amid fears of protests and potential unrest linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In a statement, Aston Villa said the safety of supporters and local residents remained “at the forefront” of discussions, adding that they remain in dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities to ensure a secure environment on matchday.

West Midlands Police described the fixture as “high risk” after conducting a “thorough assessment,” citing “current intelligence” and “previous incidents” involving Maccabi fans, including violent clashes and hate crime offences at last season’s Europa League game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.

Police said the measure was necessary to “mitigate risks to public safety” and reaffirmed their “zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”

Villa continue to work closely with UEFA to implement adjusted security and ticketing protocols.

GFN | Finn Entwistle