Everything you might have missed about Maccabi Tel Aviv fans being banned from Aston Villa clash in Europa League
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have been banned from attending their match against Villa on 6 November.
An announcement yesterday confirmed that no Tel Aviv supporters will be present at Villa Park due to safety concerns.
Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan called for Villa vs Tel Aviv to be cancelled in September as a result of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Palestine.
A huge controversy has ensued and discussions are taking place over whether the announcement should be reversed.
Keir Starmer criticises at Tel Aviv annoncement
Tel Aviv were almost exiled from the Europa League at the start of the season, and despite remaining in the competition, there have been significant worries about any violence that could occur with the travelling fans.
Keir Starmer fired back at the announcement, stating that antisemitism should not be tolerated and that it is the police’s obligation to ensure that supporters are safe.
The government are trying to enable Tel Aviv fans to attend as the secretary of state for culture, Lisa Nandy, is set to meet with Home Office officials on Friday.
The UK Football Policing Unit has defended the West Midlands Police, stating that appropriate measures were taken when making the decision.
With the match still a few weeks away, this is clearly not the end of the saga, as politics has crept in to what could be a huge match for Aston Villa.
This is not the first time this issue has come up involving Aston Villa, as Legia Warsaw supporters were banned from attending Villa Park in 2023 for a Conference League match.
As for matters on the pitch, the lack of away support could play a huge part in the outcome of Villa’s Europa League campaign.
Absence of Tel Aviv fans will be huge benefit to Villa’s Europa League hopes
Having already secured wins over Bologna and Feyenoord, Aston Villa are showing intent to win the Europa League under Emery.
Emery is a specialist in this competition, winning the trophy four times with Sevilla and Villarreal.
Two of their toughest league phase matches are out of the way, and with favourable fixtures on the horizon, the announcement could be a huge benefit for the team.
| Opponent | Date |
| Go Ahead Eagles (a) | 23 October |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (h) | 6 November |
| Young Boys (h) | 27 November |
| Basel (a) | 11 December |
| Fenerbahce (a) | 22 January |
| Salzburg (h) | 29 January |
The teams that finish in the top eight automatically qualify for the round of 16 and avoid two extra playoff games in February.
Villa are already in a fantastic position to achieve this, and Thursday’s announcement regarding Tel Aviv will be an added advantage on 6 November.
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