Maccabi Tel Aviv will not sell tickets to their fans for the Europa League match at Villa Park, the Israeli club have said. 

The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) opted last week to block visiting fans from attending the tie against Aston Villa on November 6 following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police.

This decision drew immediate criticism from politicians, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

After an outcry, the UK government said on Friday it was exploring what "additional resources and support are required" to allow "all fans" to attend.

However, Maccabi released a statement confirming they will not sell supporters tickets: "The well-being and safety of our fans is paramount and, from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans, and our decision should be understood in that context.

"We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future."

• Q&A: Why have Maccabi Tel Aviv fans been banned from Aston Villa game?

The statement questioned the motives of those seeking to justify the ban.

"We acknowledge the efforts of the UK government and police to...