UEFA reject appeal as more fans banned from match away from Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
Aston Villa have been in the headlines recently for a decision that is out of their control.
Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters have been banned from attending their Europa League clash with Aston Villa on 6 November.
There are fears about hooliganism, which has led to the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and the West Midlands Police banning away supporters from the Villa Park clash.
The decision was nothing to do with the Villans, as it is the above bodies that make the decision, not the club itself.
UEFA make Eintracht Frankfurt decision that mirrors Aston Villa situation
The decision not to allow away supporters for Villa’s clash with the Israeli side, has caused huge controversy.
Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph reported on 17 October that UEFA have now rejected an appeal from Eintracht Frankfurt to move their Champions League clash with Napoli to a neutral venue.
It came after visiting supporters were banned from attending by Italian authorities, in a situation similar to the one involving the Villans.
- Read More: Ex-FIFA official speaks out as Maccabi Tel Aviv fans blocked from Aston Villa clash in Europa League
Aston Villa had nothing to do with the decision
It must be stressed again that the club themselves cannot make the decision, it is only the SAG and the local police which have the power to do so.
Villa will central to many rage-filled arguments about the lack of away supporters, but ultimately they had no say in the matter.
- The SAG informed Villa and UEFA that away supporters will not be allowed to attend the match
- Villa released a statement on 16 October confirming the news
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer slammed the decision after the Villa statement
The decision was always bound to cause controversy as the conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the prominent global debates at the moment, with both sides heated in their views on the matter.
The Villans should be excluded from any debate about the matter, as they were not involved in the decision that has been reached.
Ultimately, the safety of fans and the local community is paramount and if the decision has been taken to ensure that, it surely is the right outcome.
The controversy is unlikely to simply blow over anytime soon, and Villans fans will have to hear about it, probably until the match is played.
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