Maccabi Tel Aviv announces the appointment of Ronny Deila as the new Head Coach until the end of the season. Deila will be supported by Kenny Miller and Kenneth Dokken as his assistant coaches.

Ronny Deila arrives with a wide range of managerial experience at both European and international levels, having achieved success in top-flight leagues across Norway, Scotland, the US, Belgium, and the UAE.

After his appointment Deila told the club’s official website: “I am pleased to join Maccabi Tel Aviv FC a club with such a rich history. I am fully aware that success only comes through hard work and commitment, and I am looking forward to start working with the players to achieve the best results”.

Maccabi’s owner Mitch Goldhar said: “Ronny made a positive impression throughout the recruitment process. He brings a proven track record, significant experience and strong leadership qualities. Ronny arrives ready to begin work immediately and we all wish him success”.

Deila, spent his playing career in Norway playing as a central defender for IF Uraedd, Odd, Viking Stavanger, Stromsgodset, and Sparta Brageroen. Having made over 350 professional appearances as a player, Deila began his managerial career with Stromsgodset initially as an assistant coach before taking over as Head Coach in 2008. Under Deila’s guidance, Stromsgodset won the Norwegian Cup in 2010 and league title in 2013, their first in 42 years. In 2014, Deila was appointed manager of Celtic where in two seasons he won two successive Scottish championships (14/15 and 15/16) and a League Cup in 14/15.

After returning to Norway with Valerenga (17-20), Deila moved to the MLS and joined New York City FC, where he won the 2021 MLS Cup, the first in the club’s history.

Deila’s recent managerial roles include Belgian clubs Standard Liege (22/23), Club Brugge (23/24), and Al Wahda (24) in the UAE before returning the US last season to coach MLS side Atlanta United FC.

Kenny Miller (46), a former Scottish international striker who had a distinguished playing career between 1997-2020. Miller scored more than 250 career goals in 785 professional appearances for Hibernian, Rangers, Celtic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Derby County, Cardiff City, Bursaspor (Turkey), Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada), Livingston, Dundee, Partick Thistle and Scotland for which he scored 18 goals in 69 international appearances.

Following his retirement, Miller transitioned into coaching and management serving as player-manager of Livingston in 2018. Miller later held coaching and assistant roles at Newcastle Jets (Australia) and Falkirk FC, before joining Ronny Deila’s staff at Atlanta United.

Kenneth Dokken (47), a former Norwegian midfielder who played over 300 matches in the top tiers of Norwegian football at Stromsgodset, Honefoss, HamKam, Odd Grenland, Ranheim, and Sandefjord. He began his managerial career with Birkebeineren, then spent seven years as head coach at Notodden, later served as an assistant coach at Valerenga and AGF Aarhus in Denmark before returning to Norway for a head coach role with Odds BK and last season as an assistant manager at Fredrikstad FK

Maccabi Tel Aviv welcomes Ronny, Kenny, and Kenneth to Maccabi and wishes them every success in the challenges ahead.

Emir Sahiti (27) joined Maccabi from Hamburg after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for the loan of the winger until the end of the 25/26 season with an option of making the move permanent.

Sahiti, scored 3 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions for Hamburg since joining the Bundesliga club in the summer of 2024 from Hajduk Split.

After successfully completing his medical, Sahiti told the club’s official website: “I am proud and excited to join Maccabi Tel Aviv, a club with a rich history, passionate fans and clear ambitions. From the first conversations, I felt the club’s vision and knew this was the right step for me.

I arrive hungry, motivated, and ready to give everything for this badge, help the team win trophies and make our fans proud. I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere at Bloomfield Stadium.”

Sahiti, began his playing career with KF Trepca 89 in Kosovo before switching in 2015 to Rabotnicki and playing at the North Macedonia club until 2018. At the age of 20 Sahiti moved to Croatia and joined Hajduk Split for which he scored 18 goals in 121 appearances in all competitions during a six-year-spell which also included a season long to Sibenik where he added 7 goals in 35 appearances.

At international level, Sahiti scored a goal in 7 appearances for the Kosovo national team and previously represented the young national sides of Albania at U21 and U19 levels.

Dan Romann who was appointed interim coach and had less than 48 to prepare the team since taking charge, said after the match: “We played against a strong team and will prepare ourselves for Kiryat Shmona.”

Maccabi’s U19’s coach Dan Romann appointed interim coach of the senior side on Tuesday following the dismissal of Zarko Lazetic, spoke at the end of the 0-3 Europa League defeat to Bologna at the TSC Arena:  “We played against a very strong team. We came into the match after turbulent days the club has been going through. It was important for us to look good and put in a strong performance. Overall, it was a bit difficult for us against a very good team. The players gave everything they had, and that’s something we need to carry forward.”

On his personal feelings regarding the entire situation, Romann said: “On a personal level, I was asked to coach the team, and that’s what I’m doing. I’ll continue coaching the team for as long as I’m asked. I’m not looking too far ahead. We had very little time to prepare the team for this match, that was our focus. The match is over, so now the focus is on the game against Kiryat Shmona, and we’ll need to take things one game at a time.”

Ahead of Monday’s league match away to Kiryat Shmona Romann summed up: “In terms of managing minutes, loads, and player availability, we tried to take Monday’s match into account. These are two completely different matches. Today we played against a team from the Italian league, very strong. We had a total of 40 minutes on the pitch and another day and a half to prepare. The match against Kiryat Shmona is a different one, and we’ll prepare ourselves well. The dynamics will be different, and we’ll approach that match differently.”

The 21-year-old who was kept busy by Bologna’s forwards throughout and kept Maccabi in the game for large parts of the game but couldn’t do match to prevent the defeat against a superior Italian side: “After every action, whether good or bad, you have to keep your head up. In the end, we came out disappointed. I think we showed good ability, and unfortunately the goal didn’t come, but we’re looking forward.”

On transition between the Europa League and the domestic league, Melika added: “It is a different level. We will keep working on ourselves, and I believe that next season we will come back stronger and have a better campaign.”

On the current difficult spell Maccabi are currently experiencing, Melika said: “We are not in a crisis. It’s been a challenging period. But for everyone, it’s a fresh start and we’re moving forward, doing our job.”

Having reached the State Cup Quarter Finals yet with a 10 point gap from top spot, Melika said: “We believe everything is possible, whether it’s the cup or the championship. We’ll see at the end of the year.”

Preview:

Maccabi returned to the TSC Arena in Backa Topola for the MD8 Europa League home match against Bologna which will be the final match of the 2025/26 European campaign. Dan Romann replaced Zarko Lazetic who was dismissed following the defeat in the derby, took charge of the team as Interim coach. Romann, who guided Maccabi to a 2-2 draw away to Ashdod in the league earlier this season, will aim to replicate that result against the Italian Cup winners who are currently 15th in the Europa League table and 8th in Serie A.

Ofek Melika kept his place in goal with Itay Ben Hemo, Heitor dos Santos and Raz Shlomo lining up as three central defenders in front of the young Maccabi custodian. Noam Ben Harush as a right wing-back and Roy Revivo on the opposite left flank completed Maccabi’s defensive line. Issouf Sissokho and Ben Lederman were named in Maccabi’s midfield engine room with Dor Peretz leading the team out with the captain’s armband in a more attacking role. Kervin Andrade was named on the wing while Elad Madmon led the line upfront.

On the bench alongside goalkeepers Roi Mishpati and Shalev Saadya, Romann named Tyrese Asante, Yonas Malede, Helio Varela, Itamar Noy, Saied Abu Farchi, Ido Shahar, Idan Weinberg, Lotem Asras, Ilay Ben Simon and Osher Davida.

First Half

The visitors began the match on the front foot and reached the first chance of the game in the third minute as Riccardo Orsolini headed Nadir Zoretea’s cross wide of the target. In the 7th minute Zortea tried cutting inside on the left and shooting from the edge of the area but his effort rolled wide of Ofek Melika’s goalpost. Maccabi tried catching Bologna’s defense by surprise two minutes later as a counter attack saw Elad Madmon slip the ball to Dor Peretz. But the 30-year-old captain’s attempt of a shot from the edge of the area was easily collected by goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.

Raz Shlomo was booked in the 15th minute by referee Goga Kikacheishvili for a foul on Nicolo Castro just inside Maccabi’s half. Four minutes later Bologna had the ball in the back of Ofek Melika’s net as Miranda sent a corner into the box before Orsolini blasted his header home. But VAR intervened and spotted a foul to cancel the initial decision and keep the score goalless. The best chance of the game so far came in the 29th minute as Peretz, Kervin Andrade and Elad Madmon combined well to leave Noam Ben Harush in a great goalscoring opportunity. But the 20-year-old full back who only had Skorupski to beat dragged his shot wide.

Four minutes after the half hour mark Lewis Ferguson forced a save from Melika but within a minute the Italians took the lead. Nikola Moro’s shot was too powerful for Melika who punched it in the path of Jonathan Rowe who swept the rebound int the top corner. Bologna continued to place Maccabi’s goal under siege with Melika forced to make another reflex save in the 37th minute this time to keep out Castro’s powerful low drive. Andrade missed a glorious chance to level the score i the 42nd minute as the 20-year-old Venezuelan was put through by Issouf Sissokho. Skorupski charged off his line before Andrade clipped the ball past him but saw it roll agonizingly wide. Inside injury time, Rowe carved Maccabi’s defense open as he dribbled into the box and teed up Ferguson whose shot was saved by Melika. The 19-year-old keeper pulled another stunning save a minute later to deny Castro from doubling Bologna’s lead before the break.

Second Half

A minute after the interval Bologna doubled their lead at the end of a lethal counter attack which saw Orsolini burst down the right and skip past three defenders before drilling a low shot that found the bottom corner. Dan Romann reacted with a double substitution as Raz Shlomo limped off and was replaced in the 51st minute by Tyrese Asante while Andrade made way for Helio Varela.

Seven minutes after the hour mark Romann made another substitution introducing Ilay Ben Simon for Madmon wit Varela pushing further up the field. In the 76th minute Kikacheishvili awarded Bologna a penalty after Ben Simon was judged to have fouled Zotea in the box. But once again VAR intervened, called the Georgian referee to the screen before the decision was overturned. Romann made another double substitution as Itay Ben Hemo and Peretz bowed out and were replaced by Ido Shahar and Osher Davida for the closing stages.

Deep inside injury time Bologna sealed the win as substitute Tommaso Pobega received the ball in the middle of the area and fired home the third goal. The full time whistle confirmed Maccabi’s Europa League has come to an end with as attention now turns to the domestic campaign.

Maccabi will wrap up its European season this coming Thursday (22:00), when it hosts Bologna in the eighth and final round of the UEFA Europa League group stage.

The team traveled today to Serbia, after holding the final training session at the Kiryat Shalom training facility, led by interim coach Dan Romann. The traditional pre-match Press Conference is also scheduled to take place this evening in Novi Sad.

Maccabi arrives at the match having already lost its chance to advance to the next stages of the competition, while the Italian side are currently ranked 15th. Bologna has already secured a spot in the preliminary knockout round but also knows that even if they win on Thursday, its chances of automatically advancing to the EUROPA League Round of 16 are slim.

Yoav Gerafi will join Hapoel Haifa after an agreement was reached between the two clubs on a loan deal of the 32-year-old keeper until the end of the season.

Gerafi, who joined Maccabi in the summer and made 4 appearances in all competitions, will be loaned for the rest of the 2025/26 campaign to Hapoel Haifa where he played between 2023-2025.

Good luck Yoav