With so much of the focus on the large-scale police operation taking place outside Villa Park, events on the pitch were pretty routine as the home team claimed an expected Europa League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Goals from Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen, the latter from the penalty spot, earned Unai Emery’s team a victory which strengthened their chances of a top-eight finish in the competition’s group stage.
Villa, admittedly, rode their luck at some points with Dor Peretz twice denied by Emi Martinez. Yet on the whole, in terms of the game, we got what was expected.
That, of course, was only one part of the story.
The decision last month by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Board to ban Maccabi’s fans - with the Israeli club later deciding they would not accept tickets in any case - made this one of the most politically-charged fixtures in the UK for decades.
Yet while protests, both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel, took place amid a huge police presence before kick-off, the number of activists numbered in the hundreds rather than the predicted thousands.
That didn’t stop things from turning a little ugly on Trinity Road in the hour before kick-off. Six arrests were made before the match began, three of them for racially aggravated offences.
More than 700 police officers were deployed across the city while, next to the ground on Trinity Road, a row of police vans stood in front of several hundred pro-Palestine protestors.
A pro-Israel protest took place on Witton Lane on the opposite side of the ground, which included mobile billboards with the message: “Ban Hatred. Not Fans”.
Access to the stadium footprint was only possible with a match ticket and for the most part those within it would have little idea of what was going on outside.
Only in the hour before kick-off did the mood begin to sour on Trinity Road, when members of a far-right group singing anti-Islam songs and those in support of Tommy Robinson arrived on the scene. There were some clashes involving Villa supporters frustrated at being delayed access toward the stadium.
Any concerns of the Maccabi team’s access being impeded was negated by their arrival around four hours before kick-off.
For the players everything in the build-up would have felt normal but the large block of empty seats in the Doug Ellis Stand was a reminder of the bigger story.
“Empty seats,” sang the Holte End in irony but there were also plenty in the home sections, indication of how many fans had chosen to stay away.
It all added up to an eerie atmosphere and for a long time there was little for those who were in attendance to cheer.
Nearly 20 minutes had passed by the time Malen had Villa’s first attempt, a shot which struck defender Raz Shlomo and bounced just wide of the near post.
It was a rare moment of danger for the visitors, who almost took a shock lead when Jadon Sancho lost the ball and Osher Davida’s effort hit Pau Torres and dropped wide with Martinez a mere spectator.
Just past the half-hour mark Morgan Rogers threatened to spark things to life, dribbling through the visiting defence and forcing goalkeeper Roi Mishpati into his first save of the night.
The England international also fizzed an effort just over the bar, before Malen was unable to force the ball home at close range as Villa tried to up the tempo.
It was Maccabi, however, who carved out the next big chance and their top scorer in all competitions, Peretez, should have done far better than shoot straight at Martinez after breaking into the left-hand side of the box.
In stoppage time Villa made the breakthrough. Rogers found Sancho, took the return pass and dinked a pass into the box which Maatsen turned in off the bar from a fiendishly tough angle.
The Dutch left-back had Villa’s first effort of the second half. His low shot was too hot for Mishpati to handle and Malen could not convert the rebound.
The latter would soon extend Villa’s lead but only after Maccabi and Peretz had missed another big chance. Martinez stood tall and parried the shot, diving to his right, after Villa had again been cut open down the left.
Malen was denied by Mishpati seconds later but would then beat the keeper from the penalty spot after Madmon was, somewhat harshly, adjudged to have brought down Konsa.
Emery brought on John McGinn for his 300th Villa appearance but it was Youri Tielemans, returning from injury, who nearly set up a second for Malen with a superb lofted pass. Mishpati made an excellent save.
Teams
Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Lindelof, Konsa, Torres (Kamara 64), Maatsen, Onana (Tielemans 75), Bogarde, Guessand (McGinn 75), Rogers (Watkins 64), Sancho (Buendia 75), Malen Subs not used: Cash, Digne, Elliott, Barkley, Broggio, Oakley, (gk), Bizot (gk).
Maccabi (4-3-3): Mishpati, Asante, Shlomo, Camara (Heitor 14), Revivo, Madmon, Sissokho, Noy (Shahar 60), Varela (Nicolaescu 78), Peretz (Andrade 78), Davida (Jehezkel 60) Subs not used: Gropper, Ben Harosh, Lederman, Abu Farchi, Ben Hamo, Gerafi (gk), Melika (gk).