A month after the war that has changed all our lives and a similar period without an official match, Maccabi return to action on Thursday (22:00) as they face Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk in the Conference League. Maccabi’s players who spent most of their time since October 7^th consoling families who lost their loved ones, suffered injuries, were kidnapped into Gaza or re-rooted from their homes – will try and restore some national pride. Robbie Keane’s charges will try and bring some moments of joy at a difficult time but shortly before facing Zorya on MD4, we take time to get to know our forthcoming opponent.

Current form:

Representing the city of Luhansk in the Donbas region in the East of Ukraine, one of the main conflict points in the ongoing war with Russia forcing the club to relocate to the west of the country and play mostly in the capital of Kiev. Despite experiencing difficulties like the rest of the country, in professional footballing terms Zorya experienced a successful campaign which saw them end the 2022/23 Ukrainian league season in third place. As a result, Zorya began their European qualifying campaign in the Playoff phase of the Europa League before a defeat by Slavia Prague saw them earn a Conference League group stage berth.

Photo: FC Zorya Luhansk Facebook ()

Just like Maccabi, Zorya played two matches in the Group stage holding Gent to a 1-1 in Poland and recording a 1-0 victory over Icelandic outfit Breidablik.

While the Israeli league was forced to suspend its’ activity since October 7^th, the Ukrainian league on the other hand is well underway. Having played 11 matches, Zorya, are currently ranked 13^th with one victory from their last eight matches, on the back of a 2-2 draw at the weekend and with two matches in hand.

Due to the war in their home country, Zorya host their European matches at the 15,000 capacity Lublin Arena which was opened in 2014 in Lublin, Poland. Valeriy Kryventsov (50) was appointed for the role in September as the former Ukrainian player replacing Nenad Lalatovic of Serbia who began the current season. Kryventsov took charge of Zorya after two years as the head coach of Metalist Kharkiv and several years at the Youth Academy of Shakhtar Donetsk where he spent most of his playing career.

Photo: FC Zorya Luhansk Facebook ()

When Guerrero reunited with Eduardo Guerrero.

In terms of Zorya’s playing squad, a familiar face is their Panamanian forward and former Maccabi player Eduardo Guerrero. The 23-year-old Panamanian joined Maccabi’s Youth Academy at the age if 17 before advancing to the first team and scoring 10 goals in 53 appearances between 2020-2022. Guerrero, who also had loan spells at Hapoel and Beitar Jerusalem, joined Zorya following his coach at Maccabi Patrick van Leeuwen who guided the Ukrainian side to 3^rd place last season before taking charge of Shakhtar. Guerrero is Zorya’s leading scorer in the league with 4 goals to his name and 6 in all competitions.

Despite the ongoing war, Zorya has several other foreign players in their squad namely 24-year-old Brazilian central defender Jordan and 19-year-old fellow countryman Wendel. Serbian attacking midfielder, Petar Micin (25) and 19-year-old central midfielder Kodjo Aziangbe of Togo completes the list of foreigners to compliment the rest of the squad which is Ukrainian. Arseniy Batagov (21) is a highly regarded central defender for Zorya making 25 international appearances for the Ukraine U21 national side while another key player is Denys Antyukh (26) is a former Dynamo Kiev winger who scored 3 goals this season.

Photo: FC Zorya Luhansk Facebook ()

On the 30th day of the war in Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv‘s players teamed-up on Sunday with the coaching staff led by Robbie Keane as well as the rest of the foreign players who have been training in Poland since last week. The entire team was reunited for the first time since the war began in Israel on October 7th and held an evening training session as part of the preparations for the MD4 Conference League match against Zorya in Lublin.

Watch the emotional get together at the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Official (@maccabitlvfc)

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s players left Israel this morning and while the war in Gaza continues headed out to Poland where they will prepare for Thursday’s Conference League match against Zorya Luhansk at Lublin.

The players arrived at Ben Gurion airport this morning (Sunday) before flying out to Poland where they will team-up with the coaching staff and foreign players who have been all training there over the past week. Later this week, the team will move to Lublin where they will face the Ukrainian side for the MD4 Conference League away match.

The reverse fixture which will see Maccabi host Zorya and was supposed to have been played on October 26th was postponed by UEFA last month and has been rescheduled for November 25th.

rior to their departure to Poland on Sunday ahead of Thursday’s Conference League match against Zorya Luhansk, Maccabi’s players arrived at Bloomfield stadium today. The players were all wearing Tshirts with the slogan BRING THEM HOME as part of the campaign to return those kidnapped and currently held hostage in Gaza.

he players and club employees met with Yoseph Haddad, an Arab-Israeli advocacy activist and social media influencer who recently became one of Israel’s leading ambassadors for international advocacy during the war. Hadad spoke with the players and shared his unique story as well as explaining how he uses the tools he has, to help defend Israel in the public domain. Haddad, shared some tips and strategies to improve Israel’s advocacy abroad.

Eran Zahavi faced the media who were present and related to the hostages’ topic, two of which are twins and Maccabi fans – Gali and Ziv Berman. “This sends shivers down my spine, all these stories that keep on hitting you. You get to hear something new all the time as a horror story follows a horror a story which leaves you speechless. We are talking of two of our fans, twins who even purchased tickets to the match we were supposed to play against Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy (on October 8^th). It is just incomprehensible.    

On the importance of advocacy ahead of both Maccabi’s and the national team’s matches, Zahavi added: “As players we must use our influence on the public through our social media. I am delighted that recently, many people and not just those with a large following, but those in key positions who can influence – used every tool they had for advocacy. Obviously, if called upon, I will arrive more prepared for press conferences.”

“We have this sense like we are on a mission and as long as we play in Europe as a club, let alone as a national team representing our country we try our hardest to make those supporting us from home – happy.” Zahavi added, “These missions are complex to say the least especially at such a difficult time, but if one has a way to give back to the country some moments of joy through sports, we will do it. Sport has the power to bridges divides, cultures, religions and through sport everything is possible.”

The 36-year-old forward then related to work Haddad dedicated himself to, as he added: “I am an admirer of Youseph. His advocacy is extremely important especially in the wake of the complex situation he is in (Being an Arab Israeli). I asked him a question about players and Arab people in general who are in a complex situation, and we must understand that.  On the other hand, if they let their opinion be heard they could earn us and the support of the State of Israel by their side. If we would all like to live here side by side and we really appreciated the idea Youseph has raised, this should be a partnership of coexistence because we have been living here together and this is never going to change. We are here to stay and we must do everything together to the best of our ability. We must learn to trust each other, to believe in one another, and to use the same words until those words turn into deeds.”

Prior to their departure to Poland on Sunday ahead of Thursday’s Conference League match against Zorya Luhansk, Maccabi’s players arrived at Bloomfield stadium today. The players were all wearing Tshirts with the slogan BRING THEM HOME as part of the campaign to return those kidnapped and currently held hostage in Gaza.

The players and club employees met with Yoseph Haddad, an Arab-Israeli advocacy activist and social media influencer who recently became one of Israel’s leading ambassadors for international advocacy during the war. Hadad spoke with the players and shared his unique story as well as explaining how he uses the tools he has, to help defend Israel in the public domain. Haddad, shared some tips and strategies to improve Israel’s advocacy abroad.

Eran Zahavi faced the media who were present and related to the hostages’ topic, two of which are twins and Maccabi fans – Gali and Ziv Berman. “This sends shivers down my spine, all these stories that keep on hitting you. You get to hear something new all the time as a horror story follows a horror a story which leaves you speechless. We are talking of two of our fans, twins who even purchased tickets to the match we were supposed to play against Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy (on October 8^th). It is just incomprehensible.    

On the importance of advocacy ahead of both Maccabi’s and the national team’s matches, Zahavi added: “As players we must use our influence on the public through our social media. I am delighted that recently, many people and not just those with a large following, but those in key positions who can influence – used every tool they had for advocacy. Obviously, if called upon, I will arrive more prepared for press conferences.”

“We have this sense like we are on a mission and as long as we play in Europe as a club, let alone as a national team representing our country we try our hardest to make those supporting us from home – happy.” Zahavi added, “These missions are complex to say the least especially at such a difficult time, but if one has a way to give back to the country some moments of joy through sports, we will do it. Sport has the power to bridges divides, cultures, religions and through sport everything is possible.”

The 36-year-old forward then related to work Haddad dedicated himself to, as he added: “I am an admirer of Youseph. His advocacy is extremely important especially in the wake of the complex situation he is in (Being an Arab Israeli). I asked him a question about players and Arab people in general who are in a complex situation, and we must understand that.  On the other hand, if they let their opinion be heard they could earn us and the support of the State of Israel by their side. If we would all like to live here side by side and we really appreciated the idea Youseph has raised, this should be a partnership of coexistence because we have been living here together and this is never going to change. We are here to stay and we must do everything together to the best of our ability. We must learn to trust each other, to believe in one another, and to use the same words until those words turn into deeds.”