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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