Category: First Team

Peretz: “A huge disappointment. We will come out of this stronger”

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Dor Peretz wanted to lead Maccabi to the Champions League phase in his first season as Maccabi’s captain. But the 30-year old midfielder saw his side battle with 10 men for an hour against Cypriot Champions Pafos before losing 1-0 at the TSC Arena and 2-1 on aggregate. After a 1-1 draw in Limassol last week, Maccabi lost goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi to a hamstring injury before his replacement Ofek Melika was sent off inside the 30th minute. “It is a huge disappointment.” Peretz said, “I have nothing to say. I’m trying to calm my thoughts so I can answer. It is very disappointing, a whole year’s work was also aimed at competing in the Champions League and getting such an opportunity. It hurts, this is one of everyone’s dreams. We were in the game despite being a man down, but that’s not enough in this competition. You need to win to progress.”

Peretz who had a goal dissallowed for a marginal offside before the freak occurrence of the goalkeepers changed the game entirely, added:
“We had an early goal that was disallowed, that’s football. That’s what’s beautiful and what’s painful about it. A few minutes later we got a red card, then a one-in-a-million goal. There are games like that, and we’ll need to learn and understand what we did well and what we didn’t. We look ahead, there’s no other choice.”

“In the second half we had a few chances that could have decided the game, but we didn’t manage to take them,” he said afterward.
“That’s the game beautiful on one side, painful on the other. Hopefully later in the season it will be beautiful for us.”

With regards to rest of the European campaign, Peretz said: “I’d like to sit for a moment with the feeling of missing out from this elimination, and then we’ll look toward the Europa League. In football, you face challenges and move on. I’m sure we’ll come out of this stronger.”

Addo joins OFK Belgrade on loan

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Henry Addo joins OFK Belgrade after an agreement was reached with the Serbian club for a season-long loan deal of the Ghanian forward.

The 22-year-old who joined Maccabi in February 2024 from Zilina, made a total of 31 appearances in all competitions scoring three goals, and was part of the team that won 2 Championships, a Toto Cup and Super Cup.

Addo also featured in Maccabi’s Europa League campaign last season, scoring two goals in 11 appearances.

He will now continue his development with OFK Belgrade for the 2025/26 season.

Good luck, Henry!

Emotional: The reunion of former hostages with Maccabi in Cyprus

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As part of one of the days of the ‘Dream trip’ led by ‘Reach out’ under the ‘Returning to life’ project, a special get together was held with Maccabi Tel Aviv first team players. The children, all survivors of captivity, along with their families, were hosted for a nice lunch.

Later, that day the children were the club’s guests of honor for the Champions League second qualifying round first leg match against Cypriot champions Pafos, a sporting experience filled with moments of joy.

Watch: Madmon recounts the meeting with Yuval Engel

 

The ‘Reach Out’ organization, which supports children with terminal illnesses throughout the year, has been acting since October 7th to support children who were released from captivity in Gaza, aiming to assist them in their rehabilitation process. The organization embarked on its third such trip since the beginning of the war as part of the “Returning to life” project.

On the day of the match alone, the collaboration between the Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation, ‘Ahim Lasemel’ and the Fattal hotel chain made this event possible.

Daniel Levy, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s VP of Trade & Business Development, said: “We are glad that we had the privilege to host the delegation from ‘Reach Out’ and to bring even a little bit of joy to the children and their families. As a club, we are committed to doing everything in our power to use football’s influence, provide support and raise the awareness for the families who are reliving October 7th every minute of every day. It is our moral and ethical duty as a country and as a club. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces at the match was the greatest motivational speech our team could have received. We will continue to spread good alongside our partners from ‘Ahim Lasemel’. Special thanks to the Fattal hotel chain for their immediate willingness to assist in making the event happen.”

Rosen joins Hapoel Petah Tikva on loan

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Shachar Rosen joins Hapoel Petah Tikva after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for a season-long loan deal of the 22-year-old defender.

Rosen, made 22 appearances in all competitions during a loan-spell with Ashdod last season and 42 appearances for Bnei Yehuda a season earlier.

Shachar will continue his development with Hapoel Petah Tikva for the 2025/26 campaign.

Good luck, Shachar

Jaffa win practice match 2-0

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First half goals from Gil Yitzhak (12) and Innocent Kingsley (43) gave second division side a 2-0 win in a practice match at Kiryat Shalom which was held behind closed doors.

Gil Yitzhak put the visitors in front in the 12th minute as he beat Ofek Melika from close range while two minutes before the interval Jaffa’s Nigerian forward Innocent Kingsley doubled the score.

Maccabi:

Ofek Melika (Roi Mishpati 60), Noam Ben Harush, Raz Shlomo, Itay Ben Hemo, Denny Gropper (Liran Spiegel 60), Itamar Noy, Ido Shahar, Elad Madmon, Sagiv Jehezkel (Lotem Asras 60), Saied Abu Farchi, Ion Nicolaescu (Ilay Ben Simon 70)

Layous joins Levadiakos F.C on loan

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The 24-year-old winger who joined Maccabi in the summer of 2024, made 24 appearances in all competitions, and was part of the team that won the Championship and Toto Cup, will join Greek side Levadiakos F.C on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Layous featured for Maccabi in last season’s Europa League campaign making 8 appearances, also has 9 international appearances for the Israel U21 national side.

Good luck Hisham.