The 30-year-old skipper who came close to celebrate his 80th appearance in Europe for Maccabi but saw his first half goal disallowed for offside, said at the end of the draw in one of the toughest grounds in Europe: “I think the overall experience was good. An outstanding atmosphere, fans who are passionate about football and create a wonderful vibe. Just as we could have scored and taken the lead, they also could have scored and finished the match in the closing minutes. In my opinion, we can be satisfied with the professional way we played today and continue on this path, with determination and aggressiveness, this is something great for us.”
“The pace of the game was excellent,” Peretz added. “Both teams wanted to win, to move the ball, and to play their style. It ended 0-0, but as I said, it could easily have gone either way.”
On the other opponents they will meet in the future: “The opponents are very strong. I think from the moment we got the draw, we understood that we’ll take it one game at a time and see where the road leads us. Thankfully, we got a draw, which is important, and from here we move forward.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s league match against Sakhnin: “We must make the necessary adjustments, whatever they may be. We’ll rest properly, recover, and prepare for Sakhnin with full seriousness. The league is the most important thing for us. At the end of the day, it’s through our place in the league that we reach these competitions, so we’ll prepare as we should.”
Roi Mishpati, who made two important saves in the closing stages of the match, said shortly after the final whistle: “There was an intense atmosphere here. From the first minute we came to play football and to show our ability. I’m happy that in the end we came away with a point. You could say the game was pretty balanced, and we also created chances. I enjoyed myself today.”
On the atmosphere at the Toumba Stadium, the goalkeeper added: “The atmosphere was really good. We couldn’t hear each other, but we’re used to playing in these situations and in these stadiums.”
Mishpati who steooed into the side against Pafos following the injury to Yoav Gerafi and the red card to Ofek Melika and has since kept his place in goal, reflected: “I’ve been through a lot at Maccabi, two championships. I’m not a kid anymore, and I already have 180 appearances here. The start of the season wasn’t simple, but in every training session and match I came to show who I am and what I can do, and I took the position. The coach knows my worth, we’ve been through a lot of matches together.”
Ahead of Sunday’s league match away to Bnei Sakhnin: “There isn’t much time to rest, but we’re used to it. We know how to make the adjustments, eat well, sleep well, rest, and do what’s necessary.”
