Maccabi Tel Aviv will play the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round tomorrow (Thursday) when they host CSKA Sofia at the stadium in Batumi.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Head Coach Kenny Miller discussed the Bulgarian side and the unusual conditions of playing a home match behind closed doors. “I think they’re a tough opponent that came through a very difficult tie against Qarabağ in the previous round,” Miller said. “They’re a team that works extremely hard for one another, with a very strong defence that doesn’t give away much. It will be a difficult game for us, but we’ve prepared well, watched their matches, and we’ll be ready for the challenge CSKA will present tomorrow evening.”
Asked about the opposition’s key players, Miller replied: “Their striker works incredibly hard and is always a threat, but I believe CSKA’s real strength is their collective. They’re a strong unit, and within that they also have some very good individual players. It’s up to us to make sure they don’t get the rewards they’re looking for over these two matches.”
Tomorrow’s game will be played behind closed doors, as Miller acknowledged the absence of fans: “It’s definitely a loss. The stadium won’t have the energy that comes with a full crowd. It creates different challenges, and it will be up to us as a team, the players and the staff, to bring the energy ourselves and raise the tempo to the levels we’re used to. Our objective in Europe this season is, first and foremost, to reach the league phase, and to do that we have to get past CSKA Sofia and take the next step.”
