The sanctions relate to Maccabi fans’ behaviour in Germany earlier this month [Getty]

Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv have been slapped with a suspended one-match away fan ban by UEFA, after its fans once again chanted racist, anti-Arab slogans at a Europa League away game against Stuttgart on 11 December.

UEFA’s control, ethics, and disciplinary body (CEDB) also fined the club €20,000 ($23,456) over the fans’ behaviour.

The one-game ban on the club selling away tickets for their next UEFA competition is suspended for a probationary period of two years.

Video posted to social media at the time of the match showed Maccabi fans chanting slogans, including “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left”, and “Death to Arabs”.

The move by UEFA comes amid sustained furore in the UK over West Midlands Police’s decision in October to ban away fans from a game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and English club Aston Villa.

The police said the decision was made after consultations with Dutch police, who related their experience with the Maccabi fans during the team’s away game against Ajax in Amsterdam.

The Dutch police said that “significant numbers of Maccabi fans were actively involved in demonstrations and confrontations”, adding that more than 200 of the club’s travelling fans are linked to the Israeli army – a force accused of committing an ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Dutch police also highlighted that some 500-600 of the fans were “experienced fighters who were highly organised and co-ordinated. They were intent on serious violence and were not afraid of fighting with police”.

Fans of the club were also seen chanting the same racist slogans seen in Stuttgart.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed back against the police’s decision, labelling it as “wrong”, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called for a review.

Weeks after the game, MPs and pro-Israel figures have continued to criticise WMP’s decision, with some calling for the police chief to resign.

Many who supported the ban were smeared as “antisemitic”, including Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, who vocally backed the police move.