Maccabi Tel Aviv chief blasts 'blatant falsehoods' about club's fans ahead of controversial clash with Aston Villa

Maccabi Tel Aviv's chief executive has condemned 'blatant falsehoods' about the club's supporters ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash with Aston Villa.

Jack Angelides argued that misinformation and hate have fuelled tensions before the match, which will take place without away fans following a ban imposed by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group.

More than 700 police officers will be deployed for the high-risk fixture, with protests expected from both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian groups outside Villa Park.

The ground has also been declared a no-fly zone for drones, and mounted units, dogs and protest liaison officers will be on duty throughout.

Angelides said Maccabi had not been given a clear explanation for why their fans were barred, accusing local officials of letting damaging assumptions take hold. 

'We have not been given a clear reason,' he told Sky News. 'I have seen people coming up with all sorts of stories about our fans, especially in Amsterdam, where there was, what the Amsterdam authorities themselves classified as "a Jew hunt", being portrayed as organised fighters, soldiers, etc, etc.

'It's just blatant falsehoods, and people who say those things know that they're false and shame on them.'

The ban followed advice from West Midlands Police, who classified the match as high risk and said the measure was necessary to 'mitigate risks to public safety'.

Aston Villa have faced criticism from Jewish organisations for accepting that advice, with the Board of Deputies of British Jews claiming their proposal to allow British Jewish supporters to take 500 seats in the away end was ignored.

The group said Villa had 'fumbled the pass into their own net' by failing to engage before the deadline.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the decision to ban fans as 'the wrong one', while community leaders warned that it risked creating the perception of 'no-go zones' for Jewish people in Birmingham.

Villa, though, insisted the matter was one for the police and the Safety Advisory Group, confirming that any supporter displaying political messages would be removed and issued with a stadium ban. 

The club also warned that reselling tickets or attempting to bypass security checks would lead to sanctions.

Angelides maintained that Maccabi refused to take an allocation after fearing for their supporters' safety, adding: 'We feared for the safety of our fans and it's a huge responsibility.

'With a lot of incitement, we didn't feel comfortable in taking that allocation and that's a sad day in football because things like that shouldn't happen. People have the right to freedom of speech, absolutely, but people don't have the right to spew hatred.' 

Daily Mail Sport revealed last week that far-right activist Tommy Robinson's decision to publicly back banned Maccabi fans by wearing one of the club's shirts was seen as the 'final straw'. 

Israeli officials feared his intervention could encourage his followers to pose as supporters and inflame tensions.

Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce, who is leading the police operation, said officers had worked closely with local community groups and would deal directly with anyone inciting hate or breaking the law.

The Europa League tie will go ahead under one of the heaviest policing operations ever staged at Villa Park.