Raz Shlomo made his 13th Maccabi appearance in European competition against PAOK Thessaloniki as the number 13 was part of side that kept a clean sheet at the Toumba stadium. The 26-year-old spoke at the end of the match which saw Maccabi collect their first point in the League phase. “It was a very intense match in a very tough home ground, with the crowd pushing the opposing team forward. Both teams created quite a few chances, in the first half we had the advantage, in the second half they did. In the end, I think the draw is fair; it could have gone either way. There is a sense of missed opportunity because of the chances we created, but on the other hand, we could also have lost in the final minutes. We can say that we come away encouraged by the point and are looking forward to collecting more points as the campaign progresses. We approach every match with the target of winning, and now our focus is on the next game.”
On Maccabi’s defensive display, Shlomo said: “I think the defensive performance of the entire team was amazing. They made life easier for us, the back four. We worked together, in sync, and I am happy we kept a clean sheet.”
Shlomo then paid tribute to the performance of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati who locked his goal with a display of fine saves: “Roi Mishpati had an incredible performance. I also experienced similar situations as a footballer as things are very fluid. It is easy for a situation to shift from being the third-choice goalkeeper to becoming the first-choice, or from being the third-choice center-back to being in the starting lineup. Everything is dynamic, and you have to seize the opportunity you are given with both hands.”
Regarding the special atmosphere at the stadium, Shlomo added: “Part of our preparation for the match focused on the atmosphere, exactly as it turned out to be. The coaching staff prepared us for this kind of environment. We knew how to remain calm, and in the end, that helped us. The midfielders on the pitch couldn’t hear me, but I could hear the center-back next to me perfectly, and that’s important.”
On the partnership he formed with Ali Camara, Shlomo said: “We are very happy that he joined us. Ali is a strong character and a leader. He has been through a lot in football, having played in the Champions League and in big matches. It is a privilege to play alongside him and to learn from him. He is a leader and has a strong presence, and that helps the entire team, and we are happy about that.”
As Maccabi collected a point from their opening match and now have two “home fixtures” at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola against Dinamo Zagreb and Midtjylland, Shlomo added: “In the previous campaign, we came away from many matches with praises, but one of our goals before this campaign was to make sure we collect points. Now we are starting to accumulate points, and we will come to win every match, even against the big clubs, whether at home or away.”
