Fans barred from Real Madrid v Maccabi Tel Aviv clash due to security concerns

Jan 5 : ‌Thursday's Euroleague clash between Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Spanish capital will be played behind closed doors due to security concerns, Real said on Monday.

The decision was taken to comply with a police recommendation after the ‌match was deemed high-risk, the Spanish ‌club said in a statement, adding that tickets for the game will be refunded.

"Following a meeting of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sport, which declared the game high-risk, Real Madrid ‍is complying with the recommendation made by the national police," Real said.

Games involving Israeli teams Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv were played at neutral venues since October ​2023 until last month ‌due to protests over the conflict in Gaza.

Stink bombs interrupted a match between Paris and ​Maccabi last season, and Turkish side Fenerbahce moved their home ⁠games against the Israeli ‌teams in November to Munich due to security ​concerns.

The match between Dubai and Hapoel was also played behind closed doors in November in ‍the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo for security reasons.

Real are ⁠10th in the league table with 11 wins, while Maccabi ​are 14th with ‌three fewer victories.