Maccabi’s forthcoming Europa League Playoff first leg against Dynamo Kyiv will be the club’s 200^th match in European competition – the most among Israeli clubs.

Maccabi featured in Europe in a total of 26 seasons so far, including over the past 13 season in succession.

Maccabi’s first European match, a 2-1 victory over Malta’s Valletta FC was played 33 years ago on August 19^th 1992.

The most recent match on August 14^th was also against a Maltese opposition – a Europa League 3^rd qualifying return leg 3-1 victory over Hamrun Spartans.

Maccabi’s overall record in 199 matches currently stands on 87 victories, 42 draws and 70 defeats.

No less than 20 coaches guided Maccabi in the various European competitions over the years.

Thursday’s Playoff first leg against Dynamo Kiev will be the 19^th European match of Maccabi’s Head Coach, Zarko Lazetic, in Europe. The 43-year-old Serbian will become the coach who guided Maccabi in the most European matches surpassing fellow countryman Vladimir Ivic and Nir Klinger who are both on 18 matches each.

A total of 238 players represented Maccabi in the various European competitions. Sheran Yeini made the most appearances in Europe for Maccabi featuring in 84 matches, with Maccabi’s current captain, Dor Peretz, second on the appearance chart with 77, three more than Eytan Tibi who made 74 European appearances.

Ninety different players scored for Maccabi in European competitions with Eran Zahavi leading the goalscoring charts with 30. Dor Perez who took-over the captaincy from Zahavi is second with 14 goals, one more than Eliran who has 13 goals to his name.

Out of 17 seasons since the Playoff phase was introduced in the 2009/10 campaign, the two-legged tie against Dynamo Kyiv will be Maccabi’s 14th appearance in a European playoff round.

Eran Zahavi, once again is Maccabi’s leading scorer with 7 goals in a European playoff.

Sheran Yeini appeared in 15 playoff matches and is also Maccabi’s appearance record-holder at this stage, out of the 104 players who featured in playoff matches.

Maccabi has faced Dynamo Kyiv in European competitions 4 times.

A 1-1 draw at Bloomfield followed by a 3-3 in the return leg in Kyiv during the 2011/12 Europa League group stage.

Both clubs faced each other in the 2015/16 Champions League group stages with Dynamo Kyiv winning both matches 1-0 at Sammy Ofer and 2-0 at the Olimpiisky stadium.

Following the successful collaboration last season, Mossad Capital Group has grown significantly and is responsible for Real Estate transactions in Israel totaling more than NIS 2.3 billion.

Mossad Capital group works in cooperation with over 150 leading financial planners in Israel, who find in Mossad Capital Group a wide range of complementary investment solutions for effective financial planning for their clients.

Over the past year, founders Moti Dvir and Ran Sadikario have established and acquired a variety of additional companies synergistic with the group’s activities.

In addition to Mossad Capital, which operates in the Israeli real estate sector:

Totzeret Ha’aretz – specializing in residential land with approved master plans in advanced stages.

Horizon Dubai – the largest and most significant company supporting investors in Dubai, with transactions amounting to hundreds of millions of shekels.

‘Shavim Yoter Community’ – the community of IDF reservists and security personnel, dedicated to those who deserve more. The community works across a variety of areas aimed at improving the quality of life for reservists and security forces by creating a strong consumer body that provides access to numerous benefits and opportunities in finance and real estate. Today, the community numbers over 20,000 reservists.

 

Saied Abu Farchi Abu Farchi, previously scored a goal in a pre-season friendly against AFC Bournemouth ahead of the 2023/24 season and has since had loan spells with Kfar Qassem and Maccabi Bnei Reineh for which he scored 6 goals in all competitions last season.

The young striker who scored his first competitive goal on his first outing this season said: “Every player, every child dreams of this moment, and I am happy the coach gave me a chance and I took it with both hands. I hope to keep continuing like this.”

Abu Farchi, who has been training with the squad and received his first chance this season, added: “Every time I get the opportunity, I will give everything on the pitch, because that’s how I was raised. I’ve been at Maccabi since I was 7–8 years old, that’s the Maccabi spirit, and I’m glad I have it within me.”

Abu Farchi remained confident as he faced the media after the match and said: “I believe in myself and I believe that this year I can break through. I hope to keep going this way. I had a conversation last week with Ben and he told me that this year there’s no chance he’ll let me go. He said that some players might leave and I’ll get my chance and my stage. I got it today, and I’m glad I took it”.

Preview:

A month after hosting the Super Cup at Bloomfield, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the Toto Cup match against Hapoel Jerusalem. Maccabi’s Head Coach, Zarko Lazetic, who secured qualification to the Conference League phase and is facing a crucial Europa League Playoff tie against Dynamo Kyiv made several changes to his starting line up.

Ofek Melika, was named in goal for the first time since his sending off against Pafos in the Champions League. Heitor partnered Ali Camara at the heart of defense as two central defenders who joined in the summer, caught their first glimpse of Bloomfield stadium. Noam Ben Harush and Denny Gropper made their first start as the two full-backs on the right and left respectively. New signing Kristijan Belic was handed his Maccabi debut as the Dutch born Serbian midfielder was named as the anchorman. Ben Lederman, who was an unused substitute in the Super Cup against Be’ersheva, made his first Bloomfield outing in midfield with Itamar Noy completing the midfield engine room. Saied Abu Farchi made his debut start for Maccabi on the wing while Sagiv Jehezkel led the team out wearing the captain’s armband on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman led the line as the young striker is still aiming to score his first goal of the campaign.

On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Avishay Cohen, Raz Shlomo, Yonas Malede, Nemanja Stojic, Elad Madmon, Ido Shahar, Itay Ben Hemo, Osher Davida.

First Half

Maccabi began the match on the front foot attacking Hapoel Jersualem from wide positions as Sagiv Jehezkel and Saied Abu Farchi exposed the visitors’ defense. In the 13th minute Abu Farchi who sent a dangerous cross which was intercepted by the keeper minutes earlier, decided to try have a go himself. The 19-year-old broke into the box and from a tight angle drilled a low drive that went in off the post for his first Maccabi competitive goal. Dor Turgeman came close to double the score as he fired a thunderbolt over the crossbar.

Referee Aviv Klein sent both teams for a water break right on the half hour mark as seconds after the players returned Itamar Noy flashed a shot wide of the post. Four minutes later Dor Turgeman had a solo effort which forced Ben Gotodin to a full stretched save. Turgeman came even closer on 40 as he picked a Sagiv Jehezkel pass took the ball around the keeper and sent a chip which struck the side netting. Maccabi continued to look dangerous as Noam Ben Harush was denied by Gorodin. A combination of the Jerusalem keeper and his crossbar denied Abu Farchi from scoring a close range header.

Second Half

Lazetic made a single substitution after the interval as Abu Farchi made way for Davida after the restart. Jerusalem’s coach Ziv Ariyeh made four changes at the restart but it was Ben Lederman who came close to score, yet his close range effort sailed over.

Noy limped off on 57 and was replaced by Ido Shahar but four minutes later the 7402 fans were on their feet. Turgeman on his 120th game for Maccabi was awarded for his efforts as he managed to beat Gorodin and score his first goal of the season. Turgeman and Belic were given a standing ovation as they were replaced by Elad Madmon and Yonas Malede on 66. 

Madmon rattled the crossbar with a powerful drive from inside the area that beat Gorodin in the 76th minute as Maccabi came close to score a third. Gropper who worked tirelessly down the left flank came off and was replaced by Avishy Cohen for the final few minutes. The visitors were awarded a penalty after Davida was adjusted to have fouled Ohad Almagor before Guy Badash stepped up and successfully converted the spot kick past Ofek Melika.

Noam Ben Harush marked a successful debut Maccabi appearance as the 20-year-old full back who joined the club from Hapoel Haifa this summer completed 90 minutes at Bloomfield.

“I can sum it up as a good evening. Playing here, in front of our fans and Gate 11, is an experience, an opportunity” Ben Harush said. “In every training session I come to prove myself, and in every game I arrive to prove myself,” he added.

Ben Harush who made a couple of appearances in pre season friendlies but was mostly an unused substitute in Maccabi’s European matches, said: “From the moment I signed, I was just waiting on the bench to get on the pitch, whether it is a friendly, a league match, or the Champions League, I just wanted to prove myself,” he added. “I think I’ve come to the biggest club there is, and it’s a battle not only for a place in the starting lineup but also for a place in the squad. In training and everywhere you have to come and prove yourself. I believe that with time and hard work I will get my minutes.”

As Maccabi will now compete with Dynamo Kyiv for a place in the Europa League phase in a two legged Playoff tie that will begin at the TSC Arena on Thursday followed by the reverse fixture at the Lublin Arena a week later, Ben Harush said: “It’s a very important game, we can qualify for the Europa League. I believe in the players and in the team, and with God’s help, we will advance.”

Maccabi secured a European group stage tonight (Thursday) after a 3–1 victory and 5-2 on aggregate over Hamrun Spartans to reach the Europa League Playoffs. At the end, Ido Shahar who scored a first half brace and added a an assist after the break for Osher Davida, summed up the match: “I think we started the match well. We controlled things early on, but then we had some minutes we didn’t play that well, that led to a penalty, and luckily for us, they missed,” Shahar said. “I am really happy that we pulled ourselves together. It was a team effort, and the most important thing is that we advanced.”

 

 On the difficulty of playing without fans, Shahar said: “It’s not easy to play without a home stadium, in an atmosphere without supporters. It requires everyone to give much more their maximum. I’m happy we went through.”

On the two goals he scored and the assist he gave, Shahar added: “I’m very happy, but for me, the goals and the assist are just a bonus. I’m happiest and proud both for the club and for the fans. We are representing Maccabi for another year in Europe; we have secured a group stage. To tell the truth, we still haven’t completed our mission, which is to qualify for the Europa League, that’s our target. We have a very tough match in the next stage against a big club with European tradition. We’ll need to come in at peak readiness and full focus to get through those two games and achieve our goal.”