Just In: Prince William disappoints fans with heartbreaking decision
Prince William has left his enthusiastic fans upset due to his packed schedule of royal engagements.
The Prince of Wales, who’s been passionately supporting Aston Villa for over two decades, will not attend his favourite team’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv next month.
The future king was seen cheering on the Birmingham-based football club at multiple Champions League matches last season.
However, William will not travel to Villa Park for the match on November 6th as he’s scheduled to attend The Earthshot Prize ceremony in Brazil on November 5th.
The royal also missed Aston Villa’s first home game of their Europa League campaign this season when they beat Bologna 1-0 in September.
On Thursday, Aston Villa announced that the club had been informed that no away fans would be allowed to attend their Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Aston Villa said in a club statement: “The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) are responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.
“Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.
“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.
“The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.”
Football’s European governing body Uefa, who organise both the Champions League and the Europa League, also issued a statement on the decision.
“In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory,” according to spokesperson for UEFA
