Away fans barred; 700 officers for Villa-Maccabi match

West Midlands Police will deploy more than 700 officers for Thursday’s Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park, classed high risk by a police assessment. Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group has barred away fans on safety grounds. Officers, horses, dogs and drones will be used, with expected road disruption and plans to manage protests.