Europa League 2025-26

[pauliewalnuts]

The risk re the Maccabi game is pretty obvious in a city which is almost 25% Muslim and tensions are understandably so high.

It’s not even about a few hundred away fans. It’s about the wider question of the match becoming a flashpoint.

Put it this way, at WMP hq or at the Home Office, which of those four home games do we think will have people raising an eyebrow?

[aldridgeboy]

A fucking magician. Get on with it.

wash your mouth out with soap Ads

[aldridgeboy]

AldridgeVilla has missed out on this gig.

Bloody did!! Im outraged lol

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

“Hang on, I thought we were Beitar Jerusalem”
“No, we’re the Jerusalem Beitars”

SPLITTERS!!!!

[Brend'Watkins]

Palestinian 🇵🇸 tifo anyone?

[eamonn]

Couldn't we get Robbie Keane to calm tensions, he has represented both clubs after all. Apparently it was one of his many football-related boyhood dreams to lead from the Tel Aviv sidelines.

[john2710]

I don't think the fans on either side would be a particular problem or difficult to control. It's the mixture of pro-Palestinian, antisemitic, far right protesters who will use the match as an excuse to turn up to state their case, that has the real potential for problems.

If the game is played behind closed doors, I suspect this lot will turn up anyway. I wouldn't guarantee the safety of any coach driving in or around the stadium.

There will be plenty of voices calling on us to boycott the game saying we're condoning what's happening in Gaza.

[djbone]

Abso bloody lutely. As has been pointed out though, anything like that won't go uncontested among our own fan base. Needs the club on board. Local political pressure will be brought to bear you'd imagine/hope 

[Percy McCarthy]

If I buy the bundle, will I still get points towards the season ticket waiting list if I don’t attend v Tel Aviv?

I don’t mind going but there’s no way my kids will be in the same postcode as their sub-human filth fans. I think I’d rather we’d drawn Rangers!

[Dave]

There will be plenty of voices calling on us to boycott the game saying we're condoning what's happening in Gaza.

Yup. Obviously there's lots of "why are Israel (i clubs) still allowed in UEFA when Russia (n ones) aren't?" discourse, and the only reason is that the FAs of a dozen countries refused to play against the Russian sides so UEFA was left with the choice of kicking one out or twelve out.

So if we did feel strongly enough about it there's always a stand we could take if we wanted to...

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Couldn't we get Robbie Keane to calm tensions, he has represented both clubs after all. Apparently it was one of his many football-related boyhood dreams to lead from the Tel Aviv sidelines.

I don't think he would want to be involved.

"In November 2024, Keane's wife said that the family were still receiving threats from a small number of pro-Palestine activists, which had made her doubt their safety in Ireland. While he was targeted in Ireland for not leaving Israel during the war, he was also criticised within Israel for not endorsing the war."

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2024/11/13/robbie-keanes-wife-accuses-pro-palestinian-campaigners-of-provoking-a-witch-hunt-against-him/

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

"Every individual, be it in Palestine or elsewhere, has the right to security, a loving home, and opportunities to grow."

Mainz informed El Ghazi that they intended to terminate his contract due to his social media post.

 "I do not distance myself from what I said and stand for humanity and on the side of the oppressed until the last day I breathe."

In November 2023, El Ghazi announced that he would be taking Mainz to the Labour Court of Mainz for wrongful dismissal. On 12 July 2024, the Labour Court ruled that El Ghazi was unfairly dismissed by Mainz. Mainz were ordered to pay El Ghazi €1.5 million compensation. On 23 August, El Ghazi confirmed that he had received the €1.5 million compensation ordered by the court, of which he would donate €0.5 million to children in Gaza;  He said he would like to thank Mainz for funding "projects for children in Gaza" and "in attempting to silence me, making my voice even louder for the oppressed and voiceless in Gaza".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_El_Ghazi

[Gareth]

Couldn't we get Robbie Keane to calm tensions, he has represented both clubs after all. Apparently it was one of his many football-related boyhood dreams to lead from the Tel Aviv sidelines.

Won’t he be a bit busy on the Thursday nights with Ferencvaros being in one of the two competitions:-)

[pauliewalnuts]

If I buy the bundle, will I still get points towards the season ticket waiting list if I don’t attend v Tel Aviv?

I don’t mind going but there’s no way my kids will be in the same postcode as their sub-human filth fans. I think I’d rather we’d drawn Rangers!

Plenty of Israelis don’t support what is happening.

Also words like sub-human really don’t do much to dispel the anti semitic defence either.

[john2710]

The players will have strong opinions on this too.

If it goes ahead,  it will be the last group stage game.