Government 'deeply saddened' after Maccabi Tel Aviv say they won't let fans buy tickets to Villa match

The government says it is "deeply saddened" by Maccabi Tel Aviv's decision to not sell tickets to their fans for next month's trip to Aston Villa.

The Israeli club made the move despite still waiting to hear whether a supporter ban imposed by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is overturned. In a statement, Maccabi said: "The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount and from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context." Supporters of the Israeli side had been told last week they would not be allowed to go to November's game because of Birmingham SAG's concerns over fan safety.

After an outcry, the UK government said on Friday it was exploring what "additional resources and support are required" to allow "all fans" to attend. In a statement after Maccabi announced its decision, a spokesperson said: "The government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle - that football fans should be able to enjoy a game without fear of intimidation or violence.

"It is completely unacceptable that this game has been weaponised to stoke violence and fear by those who seek to divide us. "We will never tolerate antisemitism or extremism on our streets.

We will continue to work closely with the police to ensure that this game goes ahead safely, and that Jewish communities across this country get the safety and security they deserve." Explainer: Why are Maccabi Tel Aviv fans banned from Aston Villa match? Maccabi Tel Aviv said on Monday evening the club believed "football should be about bringing people together not driving them apart" and that they had "been working tirelessly to stamp out racism within the more extreme elements of our fan base". However, they added: "Unfortunately those issues are not restricted to Israeli football, and they are problems the sport has been grappling worldwide including in the UK." On Sunday night, "violent riots" led to Maccabi's match against local rival Hapoel in Tel Aviv being cancelled.

Nine people were arrested at the Maccabi Bloomfield Stadium, a venue shared by both clubs. Hapoel were the home team for the game.

But Maccabi's statement said it was not due to their fans. The club's statement said: "It is clear, that various entrenched groups seek to malign the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan base, most of whom have no truck with racism or hooliganism of any kind, and are exploiting isolated incidents for their own social and political ends.

"The latest example is by people who have rushed to attribute to our fans the decision of the Tel Aviv police to cancel our derby match yesterday. It was not." Uproar The original decision to stop Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham caused uproar.

The SAG - made up of local stakeholders, including representatives from the council, police and event organisers - said its decision was due to a high risk of violence based on "current intelligence and previous incidents". Read more from Sky News:Maccabi ban could be reversedAnalysis: Ban raises serious questions The announcement, supported by West Midlands Police, was based partly on the violent clashes that occurred around the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.

But, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it "the wrong decision.