Category: First Team
Watch: Glazer ahead of Ashdod
Maccabi Tel Aviv travel to the Yud Alef stadium on Saturday (20:15) ahead of the fourth league round against Ashdod SC. Maccabi’s midfielder Dan Glazer spoke at the press conference about the team’s preparations ahead of the match.
Ashdod is a very good opponent especially in their home ground which we all know how it is to play there. The statistics of that ground speak for themselves but we know we will be prepared”.
The 25-year-old midfielder who played an integral part in Maccabi’s start to the season of three wins from the opening three matches, acknowledged the fact that the 3-1 victory over Kiryat Shmona dented the unblemished start to the campaign: “We know we didn’t have a perfect match against Kiryat Shmona, as we were not happy with our performance. Two days after the match we already analyzed the video with our mistakes, worked on them in training and hopefully will correct them”.
On his personal goals for the campaign, Glazer said: “I would like to play a key role in the team but also to improve on my statistics”.
Glazer refused to reveal the content of the personal conversations he has with his close friend and former teammate, Yonatan Cohen when asked about the chances of a potential return: “I will keep our conversations to myself, but I still miss him and hope he returns. Every player has his journey and while I have a big dream to play in Europe, I am currently playing for a European club and I am happy where I am. Hopefully, I will fulfill my dream one day, but for the moment I am enjoying every single day which is the most important thing”.
Ivic ahead of Ashdod: we know who we are playing against
Maccabi’s coach Vladimir Ivic will aim to continue his team’s start to the season in Saturday’s fourth league match away to Ashdod SC (20:15).
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, Ivic said: “We know what to expect, who we play against and where we play. It is going to be a tough match against a strong opponent, a team that wants to play and knows how to attack and defend with quality players all over the park and a very good coach”.
Introducing: Derrick Lukassen
Derrick Luckassen’s first training session
A day after signing a 2-year-deal at Maccabi Tel Aviv, new signing Derrick Lukassen experienced his first training session at the Kiryat Shalom training complex. The 27-year-old Dutch central defender joined his new teammates who returned to training after a day off following the 3-1 victory over Kiryat Shmona as the team began preparing for Saturday’s league match away to Ashdod.
Luckassen wasn’t the only one to draw attention as Maccabi’s former Sports Director who is currently the technical director of Barcelona arrived for a short visit and met some familiar faces.
Luckassen joins Maccabi on a 2-year-deal
Maccabi Tel Aviv agreed with PSV Eindhoven on the transfer of Derrick Luckassen (186cm) who joined the club on a 2-year-deal after successfully completing his medical.
The 27-year-old Dutch central defender who will wear the number 25 at Maccabi said after signing his contract: “I am happy and excited to join Maccabi Tel Aviv, a club I played against in the past and know this is a massive club in Israel with great supporters . I spoke with Joris Van Overeem and Eran Zahavi and I am very positive about this move and excited ahead of this new chapter in my career”.
Barak Itzhaki, Head of Maccabi’s Football Department, added: “We are delighted Derrick is joining us. He is a player with great attributes, has solid experience at the top level and will be a significant addition to this team”.
A product of AZ Alkmaar youth’s department, Luckassen made his senior league debut for AZ at the age of 19 against Dordrecht in August 2014. Two seasons later (2016/17) Luckassen featured for AZ in the two Europa League matches against Maccabi 0-0 at Netanya and 2-1 at the Afas stadion. In July 2017 PSV Eindhoven bought Luckassen from AZ but after 25 appearances in all competitions during his first season spent loan spells with Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin (2018/19) and Belgian outfit Anderlecht (2019/20).
In January 2021, Luckassen joined Turkish outfit Kasimpasa on a six month long loan spell and made 17 appearances for the Istanbul club. In the summer, Luckassen returned to Turkey and joined Fatih Karagumrk last season, where he made 21 appearances scoring 1 goal for the Istanbul club that finished 8th in the table.
Luckassen represented the young Dutch national sides at U-18, U-19, U-20 and U-21’s and has a total of 19 international appearances.
Gloukh voted as the KOPELL Group player of the month
After an impressive start to the season which included 2 league goals and 3 assists you voted fore Oscar Gloukh as the KOPELL Group sponsored Maccabi Player of the Month.
While the talented 18-year-old collected the majority of your votes, Gloukh narrowly beat competition for Daniel Peretz who came in second and Djordje Jovanivic in third place.
Nine different goal scorers
Maccabi’s outstanding start to the league season continued on Saturday as Vladimir Ivic’s charges beat Ironi Kiryat Shmona 3-1 to maintain a perfect record of nine points from the opening three matches. The day after the match we plunged into the stats to check the interesting numbers the team achieved so far this season.
A record start
Maccabi kicked-off the league campaign with 3 victories out of the first 3 league matches and a 14-1 goal difference. This is Maccabi’s best ever start to a league campaign as only Beitar Tel Aviv (1949/50) had a better start – 3 wins and a 14+ goal difference.
Of the 71 seasons in Israel’s history, this is the 12th season Maccabi begin a league campaign with 3 wins and the first time since the 2013/14 campaign.
A new league record:
Gabi Kanichowsky and Parfait Guiagon became the 8th and 9th Maccabi Tel Aviv players to score goals in the 2022/23 league campaign. This set a new record of the number of goals corers from one team which improved the previous record of 7.
Since foreign coaches began guiding Maccabi Tel Aviv (2012/13) the home record in 15 matches against Ironi Kiryat Shmona is 13 wins and 2 draws.
A 91% success rate against Kiryat Shmona is the highest against any of the 13 top flight opponents Maccabi hosted in 5 matches or more.
A first league brace
The injury time consolation goal Maccabi conceded from Kiryat Shmona’s, Itamar Shviro, ended a 270 minutes of a clean sheet. Maccabi kept a clean sheet after 3 league matches only 7 times in its’ history with the record set by Daniel Tewnenbaum in the 2019/20 campaign – first goal conceded on MD14.
Gabi Kanichowsky who was named as the BOSS Player of the Match, scored his first brace in the league. Kanichowsky, who scored 3 league goals last season, scored his first Maccabi brace during the Conference League 5-0 victory away to HJK Helsinki.
Maccabi’s record against Kiryat Shmona’s coach Menachem Koretzki after yesterday’s match is now: 14 victories, 1 defeat and a draw – 91.7% which places him as the coach with the lowest success rate who faced Maccabi in 10 matches or more.
Kanichowsky: “I am enjoying every moment”
Gabi Kanichowsky whose two goals against Kiryat Shmona led Maccabi Aviv to a 3-1 victory at Bloomfield stadium to continue the perfect start to the league season, said: “Obviously this is fun, we are looking good, scoring goals and working hard which is exactly how we should continue”.
The 25-year-old midfielder who has plenty of competition in the squad, added: “At a club like Maccabi Tel Aviv it is legitimate and perfectly fine because in order to challenge for all titles one needs a deep squad. Sometimes this is hard on the squad especially as we have some crazy players here. I am delighted I started today and scored two goals. To play with so many good players is fun and I am enjoying every moment. We as players need to continue fighting as everyone who wants to receive playing minutes must prove ourselves all the time”
