Serious danger. Maccabi players had to be secretly brought to the stadium due to pro-Palestinian Aston Villa supporters

The Birmingham police were forced to intervene in the situation.

Details: Before the start of today's Europa League Matchday 4 clash, where England's Aston Villa hosted Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv, serious confrontations erupted between pro-Palestinian Aston Villa fans and those not supporting Palestine.

• See also: Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Can Maccabi clinch their first win in European competition?

Tensions soared to the brink, prompting the city police to ramp up security measures. However, this proved insufficient, as six people were arrested during the clashes.

The situation escalated so much that Maccabi players had to be covertly transported to the stadium in an Aston Villa team bus to avoid the wrath of furious pro-Palestinian supporters.

The match itself kicked off on time, and at halftime Aston Villa leads 1-0. The only goal of the first half was scored by Jan Mattsen in the 45th minute.

Reminder: Serious Security Measures: Israeli National Team’s Hotel Guarded by Snipers