Maccabi Tel Aviv decline Aston Villa ticked allocation amid safety fears | OneFootball

Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv have announced they will refuse any ticket allocation for next month’s Europa League clash against Aston Villa, citing serious concerns over the safety of their supporters, BBC Sport reports.

The decision follows Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) ruling last week that barred away fans from attending the 6 November fixture at Villa Park, a move widely condemned by senior government officials, including Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who pledged to “find the resources” to ensure safe attendance.

However, Maccabi Tel Aviv released a statement confirming they would not send supporters regardless of any reversal, saying a “toxic atmosphere” had made fan safety “very much in doubt.” The club added, “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount… We hope circumstances will change and look forward to playing in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”

The UK government said it was “deeply saddened” by Maccabi’s decision but respected their stance, calling it “completely unacceptable” that the match had been “weaponised to stoke violence and fear.”

West Midlands Police previously classified the fixture as “high risk,” referencing violent clashes involving Maccabi fans in Amsterdam last year. The club strongly denied responsibility, insisting their travelling supporters “regularly attend matches across Europe without incident.”

GFN | Finn Entwistle