Aston Villa told matchday stewards they would not have to work during the club’s Europa League fixture against Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv, citing possible “concerns” over safety, it has been reported.

West Midlands policedecided to ban Maccabi fans from the upcoming match, after saying the force would not be able to police the fixture safely owing to “violent clashes and hate crime offences” at a previous match in Amsterdam in 2024.

The Home Office has offered extra support to West Midlands police in an effort to reverse its ban. A meeting with Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) has been set up for next week.

The BBC reported that Villa had informed stewards they had permission to skip their duties on the day of the fixture, Thursday 6 November, before the decision to ban fans was made by police.

In an email apparently sent on 3 October, stewards were told that “regarding the upcoming fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv … we appreciate that some of you may have concerns about attending work”, the broadcaster reported.

Those who were meant to work on the day were told they would “be able to submit a one-off absence request”, and this...