Maccabi Tel Aviv given suspended one-match away fan ban by Uefa for racist chant

Maccabi Tel Aviv have been given a suspended one-match away fan ban from Uefa for “racist and/or discriminatory behaviour” by it supporters during last week’s Europa League game at German side Stuttgart.

The Israeli club, whose supporters were barred from attending an away match at Aston Villa in November because of safety concerns, were also fined 20,000 euros (£17,550) for their fans’ conduct during the fixture on 11 December.

Uefa’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said Maccabi’s ban from selling tickets to their fans for their next away match in a Uefa competition will be “suspended for a probationary period of two years.”

Stuttgart won the match 4-1, leaving Maccabi with only one point from six matches in the league phase of the Europa League.

Maccabi lost 2-0 to Premier League club Villa in the competition last month when travelling fans were not permitted at the match in Birmingham after a decision by the city’s Safety Advisory Group.

The move was widely criticised with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling the decision “wrong” and adding “we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets”.

West Midlands Police chiefs were called to give evidence to the Home Affairs Committee of MPs on 1 December.

Committee chair Karen Bradley has requested further information from the police and Birmingham City Council about the decision-making which led to the ban of Maccabi supporters.