Maccabi’s 24-year-old winger Osher Davida who will aim to lead the club to the Europa League phase for the second season in succession faced the media ahead of Thursday’s return leg against Dynamo Kyiv in Lublin Poland. Davida, who joined Maccabi two seasons ago, won two league titles and reached the Conference League round of 16, set his sights for the season: “I would like to repeat last season and improve it.”
Despite a 3-1 lead from last week’s first leg at the TSC Arena, Davida recalled the 6-1 defeat by Olympiacos which folowed a 4-1 victory in the first leg when he said:
“Absolutely, there aren’t many players left from the side that played Olympiacos, but I remember it well and I’ll remember it for a long time. The mission definitely isn’t complete and I hope no one thinks otherwise. We need to approach it as 0-0 and win the match the way we know how to. We can’t afford to think of anything else. In the previous match, everyone said we should have scored more, but also that we played a good game. Now the focus is on the next match.”
On his personal goals for the season Davida said: “From a team perspective, it is to defend the league title. I think I’ve been here two years now, and we’ve been knocked out of the State Cup in the early rounds, so the target is also to go for the Cup, it hasn’t happened since that final” Davida referred to the State Cup Maccabi won while he was on the losing side witn city rivals Hapoel. “Personally, I want to repeat last season and even improve it. I won’t settle for what was because I want to progress individually.”
“I always look at myself the same way. Maybe I should say, you can be more significant. I’m trying to improve myself,” he added.
Following the departure of several key players and the arrival of several new ones, Maccabi new look side leaves Davida as one of the most experienced members in the dressing room. “A lot has changed. There is a new and good dynamic here, young guys, good ones. I think everyone is taking on more responsibility. Some will take on leadership roles, I hope it will be good, I believe in the group of guys we have”.
