Away fans have been banned from attending the ‘high risk’ Europa League fixture

Aston Villa have been informed that away fans will not be allowed to attend their upcoming event The Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Villa will host the Israeli side on November 6 at Villa Park.

But the away end will be empty, with the match described as « high risk » by West Midlands Police, who said the decision was « based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime, which occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam ».

Sixty-two people were arrested in Amsterdam amid riots surrounding the match in the Dutch capital.

A statement from Aston Villa read: « Aston Villa can confirm that the club has been informed that away fans cannot attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday 6 November following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group. »

“The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is responsible for issuing safety certificates for each match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.

“Following a meeting this afternoon (Thursday), SAG has officially written to the club and UEFA to advise that away fans will not be permitted to attend Villa Park for this match.

“West Midlands Police have advised SAG that they have concerns about public safety outside the stadium’s bowl and the ability to deal with potential overnight protests.

« The club is in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of every decision. »

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We are committed to providing fair and impartial policing, while balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety.

« After a thorough assessment, we have classified the upcoming match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv as high risk.

“Although the safety certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision to ban supporters from attending.

« This decision is based on the current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes, which occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. »