Maccabi Tel Aviv star Issouf Sissokho admits it is ‘very hard’ to play without the club’s supporters ahead of tonight’s clash with Aston Villa.
Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv have been banned from attending the fixture by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) after concerns from West Midlands Police based on ‘current intelligence and previous incidents’.
The local SAG assesses the need for police presence and any other restrictions that may be needed before every football game in England.
After West Midlands Police classified the fixture as high-risk, following ‘violent clashes and hate crime offences’ during Ajax’s match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, the SAG decided to block the Israeli club’s fans from travelling to Villa Park.
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With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ongoing, the ban on supporters was politically controversial and Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised the move, exploring ways in which the Government could reverse the decision.
But Maccabi Tel Aviv said they would reject any offer of tickets – even if there had been a U-turn – because ‘a toxic atmosphere has been created which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt’.
Sissokho: The fans are very important for us
With Maccabi Tel Aviv fans unable to attend the game against Aston Villa, and the club playing their four Europa League home games in Belgrade, Sissokho has opened up about what it’s like to play without supporters.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder has urged his teammates to make their fans ‘smile’ against Aston Villa.
‘It is very hard for us,’ Sissokho said. ‘Every home game in Europe we play in Serbia, so it’s a big difference.
‘We know the fans are very important for us. We have to think about them because they will watch the game on the TV.
‘We have to give everything on the pitch to give them a smile and perform as a team.
‘We have to concentrate on the team and play our game with this feeling.’
Lazetic: We are only focusing on the football
Zarko Lazetic, head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, did not want to get into a conversation about unfairness and is keen to focus on the game itself.
‘Unfair or fair, in the world I am not one who judges about that but on the pitch it is 11 vs 11 and we will try to do our best,’ Lazetic said.
Lazetic confirmed Maccabi Tel Aviv’s squad had discussed the political backdrop but refused to elaborate further.
‘We are only focusing on the football,’ he added.
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