Palestine protest concerns ahead of Fiorentina-Maccabi Haifa | OneFootball

Authorities are reportedly concerned about possible Palestine related protests during the Conference League knockout tie between Fiorentina and Maccabi Haifa.

Eyebrows were raised in the Tuscany capital last month when the Viola found themselves drawn against Maccabi Haifa in the Round of 16 of the Conference League, as a result of the ongoing war in the region of Gaza.

Pro-Palestine protests have already been seen at a number of football grounds over the last few months, with fanbases from clubs including Real Sociedad and Celtic, and authorities have attempted to crack down to stifle unrest.

TMW details how the first leg of the Conference League tie between Fiorentina and Maccabi Haifa is set to be held in a neutral ground in Budapest on March 7 due to the ongoing war in Gaza, with authorities looking to require fans to show their passports to gain entry to the stadium.

Risk analysis is still ongoing regarding the return leg on March 14 in Florence, but there are seemingly risks that the game could be played behind closed doors in order to stop any pro-Palestine protests.