Undeniably strange and redolent of wider horrors at one remove, this was a groaning platter of geopolitics with a tiny little sprig of sport dusted across the top

You could almost, almost have played it for laughs. If it wasn’t so bleak, or so profoundly unsettling. But then, this is Birmingham, so there does have to be some gallows humour buried in there.

Either way an hour before kick-off on the streets outside Villa Park it became clear that the 700 police officers present were being asked to keep apart three distinct, and equally energetic factions: pro-Palestine, pro-Israeli and pro YouTubers.

• Teenage boy among those arrested outside ground

• MP Ayoub Khan speaks at pro-Palestine demonstration

Eleven people were arrested during protests outside Villa Park on Thursday after Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned on safety grounds from attending the Europa League match, sparking intense controversy.

A large pro-Palestine demonstration took place in the shadow of Aston Villa’s stadium, with protesters calling for the match to be cancelled and for Israeli teams to be banned from multinational competitions.

The prevailing sense was of relief that, after all the breathless conjecture and discussion that had dominated the nation’s news cycle at times, an event with no real winners passed safely. At least Aston Villa did what was expected of them, ultimately coming through with comfort against a respectable Maccabi Tel Aviv team who had chances to make a sleepy affair more interesting. They needed the points to put their Europa League campaign back on track, settling for a rasping Ian Maatsen finish and, in the second half, a Donyell Malen penalty.

This tie had loomed glaringly when it was drawn out in August. Back then there was a sizeable clamour for Israeli clubs to be barred from European competition, a stance pressed home by several placards held by protesters outside the stadium. That has largely quietened since a ceasefire was agreed in the Gaza war but the noise around Maccabi’s visit was ramped up when visiting fans were banned from attending the game on public safety grounds. In the event, protests in the ground’s periphery were largely contained and had almost completely abated by the game’s halfway point.

There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a club record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

• Martin O’Neill’s side leak three first-half goals in 3-1 defeat

• Gibbs-White misses penalty as Forest held by Sturm Graz

Celtic’s revival under Martin O’Neill came juddering to a halt in Jutland after they were beaten 3-1 by Midtjylland. The Hoops’ hopes of prolonging their Europa League campaign into the knockout stages suffered a major blow as the Danes hammered in three goals in eight first-half minutes.

The teenage substitute Callum Osmand won a late penalty which Reo Hatate converted, but the 19-year-old was then taken off on a stretcher in tears after suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury on a horrible evening for the Scottish champions.

⚽ Europa League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-offs
⚽ Live scores | Read today’s Football Daily | Mail Michael

Some more updates from outside Villa Park, courtesy of PA Media.

Around 200 protesters including members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign gathered near a children’s playpark adjacent to Villa Park’s Trinity Road stand. Palestinian flags and banners calling for a boycott of Israel had also been placed on the ground beside Trinity Road amid pro-Gaza chants.

Police officers briefly formed a cordon to prevent a surge of protesters after an Israeli flag was reportedly waved by a passer-by. Witnesses said the woman was ushered into a side street and spoken to by police before leaving the area.

The Scottish midfielder on the constant battle to keep his place, the ‘stigma’ of employing a home chef, and why he believes Aston Villa will win a big trophy soon

John McGinn has spent the best part of half an hour reflecting on his journey to this point, his next appearance for Aston Villa his 300th for the club, when he volunteers something of a confession. Asked whether he has lasered in on nutrition to maximise performance, perhaps inspired by Erling Haaland revealing his penchant for raw milk and honey, the Villa captain smiles a little sheepishly. “Yeah, I have, which makes me feel quite uncomfortable because I’m from a very humble part of the world,” he says, referring to his roots in Clydebank, a few miles north-west of Glasgow.

“They will all laugh at me and wind me up for it but I do have a chef at home. I think there is a stigma towards it: ‘Who do you think you are?’ Which I get, because it used to be me thinking that. I was more nervous about telling my siblings and my mum and dad about the idea of having a chef than actually having one. My mum and dad were always running us about to training and if my dad was cooking it was always whatever is left in the fridge.

• Fans banned from attending match at Aston Villa

• Police granted section 60 stop-and-search powers

The Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Issouf Sissokho urged his teammates to make their supporters smile against Aston Villa, after away fans were banned from the politically charged Europa League match on Thursday.

The Israeli club’s fans were prohibited from attending on public safety grounds but, despite the ban, West Midlands police have been granted section 60 stop-and-search powers and plan to deploy more than 700 officers around Villa Park to cope with protests and potential unrest.

• Supporters displayed tifo in Holmesdale End at game

• Tension between clubs built over Europa League battle

The Football Association has charged Crystal Palace with misconduct after their fans held up a graphic banner about the Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, during the 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park between the teams in August.

There was been tension between the clubs all summer after both clubs indirectly went head-to-head for a place in this season’s Europa League, before it was decided Forest would enter Uefa’s second-tier competition at the expense of Palace. A white-hot atmosphere surrounded the fixture and Palace supporters in the Holmesdale End held aloft a banner of Marinakis.

• Maccabi fans banned from attending Europa League game

• Pro-Palestine rally planned in Aston on Thursday

Residents and business owners living around Aston Villa’s stadium have expressed anxieties before the club’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday.

More than 700 police officers will be deployed, along with police horses, police dogs and a drone unit, with protests expected by different groups, West Midlands police said.