Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO Calls for Separation of Football and Politics
Jack Angelides, the chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv, has urged for a clear distinction between football and politics following the decision to ban away fans from Thursday's Europa League match against Aston Villa.
Last month, West Midlands Police expressed concerns about their capacity to manage potential protests, leading the Safety Advisory Group—the entity responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches—to inform Aston Villa that no traveling supporters would be allowed at the game in Birmingham.
This decision sparked a parliamentary debate, and Maccabi Tel Aviv later announced that their fans would not travel to Birmingham due to safety concerns.
"It’s incredibly sad, and I find it a concerning and worrying sign," Angelides told BBC Sport. "Politics should never be intertwined with football. It has become a political issue, and we are not pawns in a political game; we are a football club. Our focus is on running a football club and playing football."
Six weeks ago, there were doubts about whether the match would take place, as there were calls for Israeli teams to be excluded from international competitions due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, with a ceasefire established last month, it became evident that Maccabi Tel Aviv—the only Israeli club to reach the league stage of European competition this season—would continue in the Europa League.
West Midlands Police stated that their decision was "based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam."
A coalition of six pro-Palestinian organizations plans to protest outside Villa Park on Thursday against the match. Nayeem Malik, chair of West Midlands Palestinian Solidarity, mentioned that the organization has issued a national call for supporters to attend, hoping for a turnout of between 20,000 and 50,000 protesters.
"Maccabi Tel Aviv should not be playing anywhere in the international arena," Malik stated to BBC Sport. "We have organized many peaceful demonstrations for Palestine in this city. Our campaign advocates for a boycott of Israel in all sports, regardless of whether they play with or without fans."
In anticipation of the protests, more than 700 police officers will be deployed, including units with horses, dogs, drones, and road policing officers, with a no-fly zone established around the stadium.
"We trust in the local authorities," Angelides said. "I believe they are aware of the situation and know what measures need to be taken."
Maccabi Tel Aviv has played both of their home games in the Europa League this season in Serbia, following UEFA's ruling that it was unsafe to host matches in Israel. Angelides noted that the players have adapted to competing without a large traveling support.
"We’ve had to manage this for two years, playing our home matches abroad and often without fans due to distance and location," he added. "No excuses; our players will be ready to play a football match."