Overview
- Stuttgart confirmed there was no discussion of banning visiting supporters and said local authorities are prepared to host next week’s Europa League match.
- West Midlands Police leaders told MPs their decision to bar Maccabi fans in November followed a Dutch briefing on past disorder and was the safest option, rejecting claims of political influence or evidence fitting.
- The Dutch national police told media that several assertions in West Midlands Police’s intelligence were false, and Dutch officials also disputed parts of the UK force’s account to Sky News.
- Government antisemitism adviser John Mann told the Home Affairs Committee the police report conflated evidence, citing errors such as a non-existent fixture and mischaracterised incidents in Amsterdam.
- The Villa Park match went ahead under a heavy police operation with 11 arrests and no serious disorder, as football supporters’ groups and politicians press for further accountability.