After a 2-1 defeat in its “home” leg in Romania, Beitar Jerusalem will visit Austria Vienna on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League third qualifying round tie, seeking to overturn the deficit and secure a place in the playoff round.
But before Almog Cohen’s team takes the field, an unwelcome reception is expected outside the stadium.
The “Antifa Ultras ” account on X published a message this week ahead of the Israeli club’s arrival in Vienna, calling for action to prevent the match from going ahead.
“We will not allow Israel’s most racist club to play in our city without facing any reaction,” the group wrote. “Stop the racist game!”
The post said "the protest is a reaction to Beitar Jerusalem’s racist and far-right fan culture, which has been a subject of controversy for years."
Hapoel Tel Aviv also had been preparing for a potentially hostile reception ahead of its match against Katowice in Poland on Wednesday evening, though from the opposite end of the political spectrum.
Tensions behind the scenes led to the involvement of Israel’s National Security Council and special preparations alongside international and local security organizations over concerns about clashes with a fan base considered among the most violent in Europe.
The match was classified as high-risk, prompting reinforced overt and covert security arrangements, including around the Israeli team itself.
Katowice’s ultras are associated with a fascist, antisemitic and far-right ideology and have also been linked to criminal activity. Members of the group have already threatened attacks on Israelis in the city and in recent days published posts containing Nazi imagery.