Aston Villa have warned fans against breaking Uefa rules relating to “the displaying of political symbols, messages or flags” during next month’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
In ticketing guidance announced on Tuesday, the Premier League club said doing so was “strictly prohibited and will result in immediate ejection and the issuing of a stadium ban”.
It comes after Maccabi said they would decline any ticket allocation from Villa over safety concerns, despite the UK government saying it was working to have a controversial ban on the Israeli club’s fans reversed.
The Israeli embassy in the UK said it is “deeply concerned by the hostility and incitement” that led to Maccabi withdrawing their away ticket allocation.
It added: “It is regrettable that extremists have turned football, a sport meant to unite, into a platform for intimidation, driving Jewish and Israeli fans away from UK stadiums.”
Last week, Birmingham’s safety advisory group (SAG) – the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches – informed Villa no travelling fans would be permitted at the match on 6 November after local police deemed the fixture “high risk”.
The decision was widely condemned, with the government saying it would fund any necessary policing operation to allow Maccabi’s fans to attend.
The Israeli embassy said it “condemns all attempts to exclude Israeli teams or Jewish fans and expects UK authorities to ensure their safety and full participation in public life”.
Villa have now announced their ticketing policy for the match, insisting that only supporters with a purchase history prior to this season will be able to access a ticket.
The club also said they will not be selling tickets in what will be a vacant away end, and warned against supporters reselling their tickets.
Last week it emerged Villa previously told their matchday stewards they did not have to work at the fixture, saying they understood that some “may have concerns”.
In September, pro-Palestinian protests took place at a stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece, when Maccabi played a Europa League match against PAOK, with heavy security accompanying the Israeli team’s travelling support.
