DEBRECEN, Hungary — The Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team made its return to Europe on Wednesday following a series of violent incidents involving its fans in the Netherlands earlier this month. These attacks were widely denounced as antisemitic by both Israeli and European officials.
Tomorrow, Maccabi will compete against Turkey’s Besiktas in a Europa League match that has been shifted to Hungary due to security precautions. This match is set to occur at Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen and will take place without fans present, a decision made in light of safety concerns following the violent confrontations in Amsterdam on November 7, which resulted in injuries to five individuals and multiple arrests.
Zarko Lazetic, head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, expressed during a press conference that the team’s focus remains solely on the upcoming game, despite the surrounding tensions. “I’m not concerned with what took place outside the stadium. We’ve seen videos about it, yet we are committed to concentrating on our performance on the pitch,” he stated, adding that the team would assess the situation during the match.
The violent incidents in Amsterdam occurred after authorities prohibited pro-Palestinian protesters from assembling near the facility where Maccabi was scheduled to play against Ajax. Videos portrayed large crowds of Israeli supporters chanting anti-Arab phrases as they made their way to the event. Following the match, groups of individuals on scooters and on foot roamed the city targeting Israeli fans and assaulting them, as detailed by the mayor of Amsterdam.
According to the city’s police chief, these events were characterized by antisemitism. In response, Maccabi’s press officer, Ofer Ronen-Abels, mentioned on Wednesday that the troubling occurrences in Amsterdam were unrelated to football.
Prior to these events, Besiktas had requested that their home match against Maccabi, which was initially set for Istanbul, be moved to a neutral location due to security issues. The club later communicated via social media that Hungary was the only country willing to accommodate the game and noted that the Hungarian authorities stipulated that it be held without spectators.
Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, Hungary has played host to several home games for the Israeli national team, further underlining the safety considerations surrounding sporting events in the region. Maccabi Tel Aviv finalized its preparations with a practice session at the Kiryat Shalom training facility in Tel Aviv before heading to Hungary, as per the team’s official statements.