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Maccabi Tel Aviv has announced it will decline any tickets for its fans for the upcoming Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in Birmingham. The Israeli club cited a “toxic atmosphere” and concerns for fan safety as the reason for its decision, hoping circumstances will change for future games. This follows an earlier decision by Birmingham's safety advisory group to bar all away fans from the match, which the Prime Minister had called “wrong” and sought to overturn. The government, West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council had been working to ensure both sets of fans could attend safely, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stating resources would not be a determining factor. The decision by Maccabi Tel Aviv comes after violent clashes at an Israeli Premier League match, and amidst concerns raised by MPs about community safety and the implications of ignoring safety assessments.
