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The UK Government is "deeply saddened" that Maccabi Tel Aviv has decided to decline any tickets offered to its fans for the Europa League match at Villa Park.

Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers had been "working around the clock" to make sure fans from both Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv could attend the fixture next month, a spokesperson said.

They had been working with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to try to overturn the ban on supporters of the Israeli side attending the match.

The Israeli club said in an earlier statement that a "toxic atmosphere" had put the safety of fans wanting to attend "very much in doubt".

A UK Government spokesperson said: "The Government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle, that football fa

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