The chief executive of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv says it is “incredibly sad” away fans have been banned from his side’s Europa League match at Aston Villa.
“Politics should never be drawn into football”, Jack Angelides told BBC Sport.
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Last month, the local Safety Advisory Group – the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches – informed Villa that no travelling fans would be allowed to attend the fixture in Birmingham on Thursday after police raised concerns, sparking a major backlash.
The decision became the focus of parliamentary-level debate and Maccabi later said supporters would not travel to Birmingham for safety reasons.
“It became a political issue and we’re not a pawn in a political game, we’re a football club”, said Angelides after his squad arrived in the city.
“Our strengths are running a football club and playing football.
“It’s incredibly sad and I think it’s a concerning and a worrying sign.”
Read more of Dan’s interview here
