Abu Farchi, who gave his all over 120 minutes in the Cup derby, began the match as a striker but was deployed as a left back following the dismissal of Roy Revivo for two bookings. Speaking at a Press Conference before the match in Haifa, Abu Farchi reflected on the derby as he said: “I feel good. We had a tough, intense match. I think we recovered well, the medical staff worked with us properly, and now we’re focused on tomorrow.”
“It’s obviously good to arrive after a game like that derby, full of excitement and motivation,” Abu Farchi added. “We are coming up against Maccabi Haifa, a team I don’t need to tell you about. We’re coming to do our very best. I hope and want us to leave there with three points.”
On the compliments he received after the match, Abu Farchi added: “All the compliments and the appreciation feel great. I received a lot of love from both the fans and the club. It’s a wonderful feeling, a moment I dreamed about for a long time. It was my first derby, and the first for many players in the squad. Winning it in that way is very emotional.”
“The staff and the coach needed me as a full-back, and I’m happy I did the job there properly,” he added. “It doesn’t matter where the coach puts me, I’ll give everything, because that’s who I am, and that’s how every player at Maccabi Tel Aviv should be.”
On the impact of the derby victory, he said: “It really gives a lot of confidence going forward, but it’s more than just confidence. The players won’t be afraid, they’ll try to do more and take responsibility. It’s a very important moment, for the young players and the veterans alike. I’m also happy the youngsters got the chance to take part.”
On the importance of Sunday’s match against Haifa, Abu Farchi concluded:
“We can’t afford to drop points, but we also can’t think about it that way. We’ll come to every match aiming to win, because that’s this club. That’s its DNA, no matter where or when. As for the chase after Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Be’ersheva, it’s better to be in a three-team race than just a two-team one”.
