Eden Karzev joined Maccabi in the January transfer window on loan from Turkish outfit Basaksehir but to wait for his chance in a midfield that led the team to the top of the table. The 24-year-old who stepped into the anchorman role which was vacated following the injury of Joris van Overeem, said: “I am delighted to have been given this chance and have been waiting for a long time. Sadly, I didn’t want it to happen in these circumstances with Joris suffering an injury, but I worked hard all this time and will continue working hard to justify my place.” Karzev, who earlier this week couldn’t help Maccabi avoid defeat away to Hapoel Be’ersheva, added: “I tried giving everything at Turner and maybe I am not 100% match fit or maybe not at 100% of my ability, but I think that overall I had a good game yet my expectations from myself are a lot higher. This is something I expect to improve on a game-by-game basis.”

On the title race that currently keeps Maccabi with a seven-point-lead at the top of the table, Karzev added: “We have our final target, there is a way in which we work every day and stick by it. At the end of the day no one will remember whether we won the league title by one point or 25. All they remember is that you have the championship plate or you don’t. I believe in our way.”

Karzev, who is experiencing his second tenure at Maccabi, summed up: “In the end, everyone tries to bring his abilities onto the pitch and help the team in his own way. Each player tries to reach a 100% of his ability and give everything he has in every possible aspect. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. We have a very good and healthy team here as I believe that we will meet our targets. Hapoel Haifa are a good attacking side that are fun to play against. I am confident we will be fully prepared to play this match.”

Over the years Maccabi met Hapoel Haifa in the league for 127 matches of which they won 61, lost 30 while 36 matches ended in a draw. The overall goal tally currently stands on 203-118.

Of the matches Maccabi hosted Hapoel Haifa at Bloomfield they won 21, lost 5 while 7 were drawn.

Maccabi holds an existing run of 9 victories in the nine last matches it hosted Hapoel Haifa at Bloomfield. This is the second longest existing run Macabi has at Bloomfield, second only to the 11 victories recorded against Bnei Sakhnin between 2008-2021).

Maccabi also has a 15-match-long unbeaten run against Hapoel Haifa (11 victories and 4 draws) – the longest unbeaten run, in meetings between the two sides. This is Maccabi’s 8^th longest run in the history against any league opponent. Maccabi’s longest unbeaten league run is against Hapoel Tel Aviv and currently stands on 22 matches.

Maccabi faced Hapoel Haifa in the top Playoffs in 2001, 2018 and 2020 with the record currently stands on 3 wins, a draw, and a defeat.

Of the 93 players who scored for Maccabi against Hapoel Haifa, Rafi Levy leads the scorers chart with 10 goals. Shiye Glazer and Avi Nimni are both sharing second place with 9 goals to their name, while Eran Zahavi is third with 8 goals against Hapoel Haifa in the league.

Miko Belo made the most league appearances (33) against Hapoel Haifa with Zvika Rosen and Rachamim Talbi both made 23 each. Sheran Yeini made 21 league appearances against Hapoel Haifa and is ranked fourth.

Fifty players featured for both sides over the course of history. From the current Maccabi squad Dor Peretz and Ido Shahar had loan spells at the Haifa club.

As a coach, Roni Levy guided teams against Maccabi on 36 league matches winning 8, drawing 11 and losing 17.

In recent years, the world of virtual reality has gained momentum with tech giants such as Apple, Sony and META recognizing its immense market potential. As a result, they’ve begun developing VR glasses for widespread use, aiming to make them a household staple in the near future.

Maccabi is now making its mark in the VR world with the launch of the MaccabiVerse application, which has been in the works for over two years. The project is a collaboration between the club and DIVO, a company which specializes in the world of VR. This makes Maccabi one of the first sports clubs in the world, and the first in Israel, to create a dedicated virtual reality application from the ground up. The app enhances fan engagement with Maccabi and offers new possibilities for business and commercial development.

The MaccabiVerse app is free and offers every fan who owns VR glasses access to an immersive world full of never-before-seen content. Currently optimized for use with Meta Quest glasses, MaccabiVerse will soon extend its support to a range of leading VR glasses available on the market. You can download the app from the META app store (free of charge, of course).

So, what can you do at MaccabiVerse? Prepare to explore a whole virtual world, divided into multiple spaces filled with Maccabi’s yellow and blue. Experience the thrill of 360-degree videos showcasing games, goals, training sessions, and much more – an experience you’ll only truly understand once you’ve tried it. Lift the club’s historical trophies, spanning from the 1920s to the present day, and even purchase virtual versions of the official club kit in the virtual official club store. But wait, there’s more: you wouldn’t want to miss the fan zone at Bloomfield Stadium, replicated for an authentic experience. Here, you can spend time with fellow fans, play with them on the pitch, take selfies, and in the future, enjoy virtual fan-player meetups and much more.

The MaccabiVerse application was officially launched this morning (Thursday) in a festive event at Bloomfield Stadium, attended by dozens of technologists, influencers, and sports figures who where the first to explore the initiative.

Ben Mansford, CEO of Maccabi, said at the event: “Maccabi Tel Aviv is a club that’s always striving to be at the forefront, not just on the pitch but also in terms of technological innovation. We’re really seeing the VR world’s potential for phenomenal growth in the last couple of years. I’ll admit, as someone not particularly tech-savvy, I didn’t quite get the hype when I first got my VR glasses. But, once I tried them on and got a first-hand experience, it all clicked for me. It felt like stepping into a whole other world, a parallel reality that offers a completely different experience”.

“Over the years, it’s become clear that football fans engage with the game in various ways, whether they’re in the stadium or through new technologies. I see VR as yet another platform to connect with the fans. In just a few minutes, you’ll get a glimpse of how this technology brings together Israel’s leading football club and the game we all love so much”.

Tal Dotan, founder of Divo, said at the event: “After intensive planning and development, I’m delighted to unveil the application, which involved dedicated efforts from various departments at Maccabi Tel Aviv. The club enabled Divo access to every aspect, from the stadium and training ground to the team’s international trips, dressing rooms, and exclusive game photography, capturing angles and moments unseen by fans before. We aim to create an extraordinary experience for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s great fanbase for a deeper connection between the team and its supporters in Israel and around the world. I’m happy and excited for the public to experience the application and encourage fans to contact us and share their feedback so that we can improve MaccabiVerse to deliver the most empowering experience possible. 

Maccabi will take a seven-point-lead at the top of the table to Turner stadium as they face third place Hapoel Be’ersheva. Gabi Kanichowsky, who will be making his 47th appearance in all competitions spoke at a press conference of Maccabi’s turbulent season so far: “We are only focused on ourselves at Maccabi Tel Aviv this season” the 26-year-old said: “Even when we had a 10-point-lead or when Maccabi Haifa where top, we were still looking at ourselves and did our job. We must continue doing the same thing now as well.”

Kanichowsky, who joined Maccabi in the summer of 2021 and has yet to win a league title, dismissed all talk that the title race is over: “Until I have the Championship plate at Kiryat Shalom, nothing is over. We are all fully focused, there are seven league rounds still left to play and nothing is over. Robbie knows exactly how to put us on the spot. He has enough experience to know what needs to be done against Be’ersheva.”

Kanichowsky, who scored 8 goals in all competitions this season, related to the three victories Maccabi beat Be’ersheva this season, added: “I don’t think that we are showing superiority against Be’ersheva this season, we are in good form all season. Be’ersheva are an excellent side, throughout the years they are doing amazing stuff. Some people think that they have nothing to play for and are only focused on the state cup, but this is far from the truth. It will be an interesting match.”