Sheran Yeini, who is leads the list Maccabi’s players in terms of appearances in European, representing the club in European competitions 83 times, faced the media ahead of the Conference League Playoff first leg against Ceje. The 36-year-old remained adamant that both him and his teammates will be prepared for the match against the Slovenians: “Like we always do, we approach every game separately, we don’t look too far ahead, we have the next match ahead of us and we have a new opponent, a game plan and would like to be dominant and aggressive” Yeini said ahead of Celje. “We are playing at home and expect to do a good job. We studied their team, we know their players and style of play. A team like Maccabi must always be dominant and have the opponents respond to us rather than respond to the other team. We respect every opponent, as every team that reaches the Playoff stage is a good team and deserves to be at that stage. Last season Nice didn’t find it easy against Maccabi as the return leg reached extra time. We are very professional, and know it will be a tough match so if we do our job the way we should I hope we could advance.”

When asked about his personal situation, Yeini who is playing his 19th season at the club, added: “I am feeling in good shape, enjoying every moment I have on the pitch and appreciate it as well. I work hard and take myself to the edge whilst challenging my teammates. So far it is looking good, and I am still feeling relevant. As for my position in the squad, I always believe in myself and I am very calm about it. I proved in the past that I can find my place in the squad and intend to do so this year as well.”

Yeini, who won no less than 14 trophies during his career at Maccabi including 5 league titles, said ahead of the start of the 2023/24 campaign: “I strongly believe in this team. The points we lost last season were at matches we shouldn’t have dropped points at. If we would have done our jobs properly, we would have reached the money-time part of the season with a good chance of challenging for the title. It was our fault, in matches like Kiryat Shmona away when we hit the post and the crossbar or Ness Ziona. It doesn’t mean we are not a good team, as the players here are good players. We have new and very interesting players, a new coaching staff with different tactics that players connect to. We draw a lot of confidence from our training sessions and our matches so overall I am positive.”

Preview:

Three days after securing qualification to the Playoff of the Conference League, Maccabi arrived at Doha stadium for the Toto Cup Semi Final against Bnei Sakhnin. Four days before hosting the first leg against Slovenian outfit NK Celje at Bloomfield, Maccabi’s Head Coach, Robbie Keane, made several changes to his starting line-up.

Daniel Peretz kept his place in goal with Enric Saborit and Derrick Luckassen named as the two central defenders. Shahar Piven on the right and Ofir Davidzada on the left completed Maccabi’s four-man defensive line in front of the 23-year-old keeper. Eyal Golasa occupied the anchorman role with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz completing the midfield trio. Yonatan Cohen and Milson supplied the width to Maccabi’s attack with Dor Turgeman leading the line in his first start of the season.

First Half

Maccabi dominated the early stages of the game as Milson making his first start, tormented Sakhnin’s defenders. In the 16th minute Maccabi were rewarded for their efforts as Dor Peretz, Maccabi’s captain on the night, struck a shot that deflected off a Sakhnin defender to beat Nicholas Hagen at the near post.

A rare Sakhnin counter attack in the 33rd saw the ball squared to Dor Hugi who was in the middle of the area but he sliced his shot wide of Daniel Peretz’s post. Dor Turgeman was booked by referee Aviad Shiloah in the 35th minute while at the opposite end a minute later Baseel Khouri had a dangerous shot blocked by Derrick Luckassen for a corner.

In the 42nd minute Ofir Davidzada exchanged passes with Pererz to break into Sakhnin’s box from the left but from a comfortable position rushed his shot and cleared the crossbar. On the stroke of halftime, Khouri, was booked for yet another foul on Milson but the intervention of VAR saw Shiloah walk to the screen and change the color of the card to red.

Second Half

Two minutes after the restart Shiloah awarded Maccabi a penalty after a Milson shot was judged to have struck the arm of Naser Yazen. But once again VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned.

In the 54^th minute and despite their numerical disadvantage Sakhnin were back on level terms. Maccabi’s defense allowed Saher Taji the time and space on the edge of the area before Sakhnin’s diminutive midfielder blasted a right foot shot that rocketed into the top corner giving Peretz no chance.

Maccabi restored their lead within three minutes as the ball fell to Yonatan Cohen inside the area before he fired half volley that struck the underside of the crossbar to land behind the goal-line.

The blitz continued and in the 59th minute Milson released Dor Turgeman who timed his run well to charge from the halfway line and slide the ball between Hagen’s legs. The linesman raised his flag for offside but VAR corrected the referee’s team to award Turgeman his first goal of the season and Maccabi’s third on the night.

Robbie Keane made his first changes as Milson and Peretz both bowed out to a standing ovation by Maccabi’s travelling with Ido Shahar and Eran Zahavi coming on.

Cohen scored his second and Maccabi’s fourth with an accurate left foot shot that curled in in the 67th minute.

Two minutes later, Keane made a double change as Cohen and Enric Saborit were replaced by Eylon Almog and Idan Nachmias who returned for the first time since recovering from a knee injury.

On his way out, Saborit handed Nachmias the captain’s armband in a gesture that had an emotional effect on the tall central defender.

Gabi Kanichowsky who had a quiet game came off in the 80th minute a d was replaced by Dan Biton as Keane made his fifth and final substitution. Two minutes later Biton joined in the celebration as his accurate left foot shot from the edge of the area crept into the bottom corner to make it 5-1.

A Derrick Luckassen acrobatic diving header saw the Dutchman clear a Dor Hugi shot that beat Peretz off the goal line on 83.

The final whistle confirmed that Maccabi secured their place in Toto Cup Final as now Robbie Keane and his charges could turn their attention to qualifying to the Conference League Group stages as well.  

The 2023/24 campaign is the 39^th season in which the Toto Cup is being played with Maccabi winning the title 7 times more than any other club.

Besides the 2020/21 season when the competition’s format was shortened due to COVID, the Toto Cup featured a Semi Final.

Since the Toto Cup was introduced in the 1984/85 season and until the 2010/11 season, 36 of the 54 Semi Finals were staged at the Ramat Gan national stadium. Ever since the 2011/12 season the Semi Final is being staged in various venues, some of which in the home stadiums of the teams that qualified.

Over the years, 27 different clubs reached the Semi Final of the Toto Cup. Maccabi qualified to the last four of the competition 20 times, more than any other club, playing 13 times at Ramat Gan and 7 more elsewhere.

Maccabi has a 50% success rate in the Toto Cup Semi Finals, advancing through in 10 attempts and suffering a knockout in 10 others.

Maccabi faced 12 different opponents in the Semi Finals, with local city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv supplying the opposition the most. Maccabi won all 3 Toto Cup Semi Final derby encounters (1991/92, 2008/09 and 2018/19).

Two Semi Finals involving Maccabi were decided in a penalty shoot-out:

Maccabi beat Maccabi Petah Tikva 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out to reach the 1992/93 Toto Cup Final.

The following season Maccabi were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Maccabi Haifa to suffer a Semi Final exit.

Eli Driks (8) made the most Toto Cup Semi Final appearances for Maccabi.

Driks, Yonatan Cohen, Avi Nimni and Jose Duarte are Maccabi’s leading goal scorers in the Semi Finals with 2 goals to their names. Nineteen other players scored a goal each in that stage of the competition.

Maccabi faced Bnei Sakhnin 11 times in the Toto Cup, winning 7 ties, drawing 2 and losing twice.

Ten of the encounters with Bnei Sakhnin were in the group stages between 2002/03 and 2010/11. One tie saw both sides meet in the 2020/21 Toto Cup Final when Matan Baltaxa and Dan Biton scored the goals on the way to a 2-0 victory at Doha stadium.