Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, they said on Monday.

The ban followed safety concerns raised by British Police, who cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.

"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," Aston Villa said in a statement.

"We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future."

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