Aris Thessaloni will be Maccabi’s 76^th opponents in European competitions and the sixth from Greece.

Maccabi’s record in the 10 matches played against Greek opponents is 7 victories and 3 defeats.

Over the five double headed ties against Greek opponents Maccabi advanced 4 times and were knocked out once.

Maccabi’s highest victory against a Greek club was a 3-0 win in the 2011/12 Europa League Play-Offs against Panathinaikos with Eliran Atar (2) and Moussa Konate scoring the goals.

The overall record of clubs between the two countries is 10 victories for the Israeli clubs, 5 draws and 2 victories for the Greek sides. The total goal tally is 41-37 in favour of the Greeks.

Aris Thessaloniki, was the first Greece club to face an Israeli side in European competitions as they played against Hapoel Be’ersheva in 1994/95 for a UEFA Cup qualifier winning twice (2-1 and 3-1).

Since the 2009/10 season Maccabi played 11 times in the 3^rd qualifying rounds in the various European competitions:

Champions League: 4 times with Maccabi qualifying twice and knocked out twice.

EUROPA League: 6 times with Maccabi reaching the Play-Offs on 5 occasions and being eliminated once.

Conference League: In the inaugural season of the competition (2021/22) Maccabi advanced past Slovakian outfit Spartak Trnava to reach the Group stages.

Maccabi’s highest victory in the 3^rd qualifying round was a 6-0 win over Bosnian outfit Zeleznicar exactly 11 years ago on August 4^th 2011.

“Aris is a much more stronger side that Zira which automatically increases the level of our awareness even though we always come to do give everything” he added. The 35-year old who is set to make his 79th appearance for Maccabi in European competitions added: “The Conference League is a competition we treat with the utmost seriousness as we would like to reach the group stages. We will come to give everything we have in order to get the best result we possibly can against an excellent side”.

On the tough draws Maccabi received in this qualification campaign: “We are not even thinking about OGC Nice because we are facing a tough challenge already now. I have been here at this club for more than a year or two and to collect all the coefficient points in Europe, we needed to beat teams that are better than us – and we did. We must remain focused, humble work very hard and prepare to be focused for a very important match. We must stop their attack which is very good, to maintain our self confidence and obviously improve. We are facing a very tough match ahead of us”.

Two days before Maccabi kick-off their Conference League 3^rd qualifying round tie against Aris Thessaloniki, Maccabi learned their play-Off opponents should they manage to overcome the Greek side.
The draw which took place at UEFA’s Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland determined that French outfit OGC Nice will await the winner between Maccabi and Aris.

While Maccabi and Aris will battle it out at Bloomfield stadium (August 4^th) and Thessaloniki’s Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium (August 11^th) Nice that finished last season fifth in League 1 enter the competition in the Play-Offs round.

The Conference League Play-Offs are scheduled for August 18th and 25th

August 2^nd: Conference League Playoff draw

Even before facing Aris Thessaloniki for a two legged tie, Maccabi will discover on Tuesday (15:00) what to expect in the next stage of the Conference League should they advance from the 3^rd qualifying round. The winner between Maccabi and Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki will be seeded in the draw which takes place at UEFA’s Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland with the Playoff scheduled for August 18^th and 25^th.

August 4^th: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Aris Thessaloniki (Bloomfield, 20:00).

The Conference 3^rd qualifying round set a double header against Aris that finished last season in third place of the Greek table. With the first leg set to take place at5 Bloomfield, Maccabi will try and record the best possible result ahead of the return leg in Thessaloniki next Thursday.

August 11^th: Aris Thessaloniki vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Kleanthis Vikelidis, 21:00)

A week after hosting the first leg at Bloomfield, Maccabi travel to Greece for a tough match at the 28,000 capacity Kleanthis Vikelidis stadium aiming to secure a place in the Conference League Playoffs.

August 20^th (Final date and KO time TBA) Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bnei Reine

One of the most exciting dates in the calendar of every football fan will be at the weekend of August 20^th as the League gets underway. Maccabi hosts newly promoted side Bnei Reine for the ONE ZERO Digital Bank league curtain raiser with the final date and kickoff time announced at a later stage).

August 26^th Conference League Group stage draw

In the event that Maccabi advances to the Conference League group phase for the second season in succession, the draw for the group stages will take place the day after the return leg on Friday August 26^th.

 August 27^th (Final date and KO time TBA) Hapoel Hadera vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi’s first domestic away match of the season will see Vladimir Ivic’s charges travel to Netanya for a match against Hapoel Hadera with the final date and kick-off time announced at a later stage.

Maccabi Tel Aviv began its’ preparations for Thursday’s Conference League 3rd qualifying round first leg against Aris Thessaloniki with a 4-0 victory in a practice match over the U-19’s academy side.

Ofir Davidzada scored the opener and Stipe Perica doubled the score with Guy Mizrahi and Eran Zahavi who is gradually regaining fitness, were amongst the scorers in the 70 minutes long match for Vladimir Ivic’s side.

Pregame

Carrying a three goal lead from the first leg in Baku, Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the Conference League second qualifying round return leg against Azeri side Zira.

Still missing several key players through injury, Maccabi’s coach Vladimir Ivic welcomed into the squad for the first time new summer signing Nir Bitton who was named on the bench alongside Dan Glazer who also recovered from an injury and was included in the squad for the first time this season. Idan Nachmias who was absent from the trip to Azerbaijan through illness, was back in the side as he partnered Sheran Yeini at the heart of defence. Enric Saborit who filled that role in Baku returned to his role at left back with Andre Geraldes completing the back-four right in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

Joris van Overeem kept his place at the heart of midfield with Gabi Kanichowsky who scored the opening goal in the first leg and set-up another, together with Eyal Golasa completed the midfield trio. Upfront Vladimir Ivic made a single change as Matan Hozez stepped-in for Parfait Guiagon who picked an injury in training and was withdrawn from the squad. Brandley Kuwas kept his place in support of Djordje Jovanovic who led the line aiming to emulate the form which saw him score 2 goals in Baku.

First Half

Thirty seconds from the start Maccabi’s defence was drawn into action after a misplaced Gabi Kanichowsky back pass released Ragim Sadykhov clear through. But Idan Nachmias came charging in with a well timed last gasp tackle to clear the danger before Zira’s forward could have a shot on goal. It took Maccabi 12 minutes to launch the first serious attempt on goal as Sheran Yeini’s perfect through ball over the Zira defence saw Brandley Kuwas beat the visitors’ offside trap. But the Curaçao international’s perfectly timed run fired a shot which was saved by the keeper before Eyal Golasa sent the rebound high over the crossbar.

In the 25th minute Zira’s defence failed to clear a Maccabi free kick which fell to Sheran Yeini who missed a glorious chance to mark his 78th European appearance with a goal as he sent his volley wide of the post. Four minutes later Kuwas curled a corner but Nachmias who rose above Zira’s defence sent his header over on 29.

In the 34th minute an Andre Geraldes cross from the right rolled across the face of Zira’s goal but none of Maccabi’s forwards managed to get a foot in and send the ball towards goal. Two minutes later at the opposite flank Enric Saborit curled in a cross from the left but Matan Hozez missed his attempt of a bicycle kick as well.

A Maccabi counter attack in the 42nd minute saw Kuwas release Djordje Jovanovic into the area but the Serbian striker who was placed under pressure by a Zira defender sent his shot straight at the keeper. A minute later at the opposite end Ilkin Muradov almost surprised Daniel Peretz with a powerful dipping shot but Maccabi’s custodian tipped the ball over the bar. The halftime whistle of Croatian referee Mario Zebec sent both teams into the dressing room to cool down from the hot and humid weather of Bloomfield stadium while the 11,612 fans were hoping for better entertainment in the second half.

Second Half

Two minutes after the restart an exchange of passes down the right flank involving Kanichowsky Joris van Overeem and Kuwas released the latter whose shot was saved by the keeper. Hozez flashed a teasing shot from he corner of the area that narrowly missed the target on 53 as Maccabi began looking more and more dominant.

With Maccabi’s game seemingly stuck, Vladimir Ivic made his first changes in the 58th minute as he introduced Eylon Almog for Hozez and Oscar Gloukh for Kanichowsky.

Yeini was handed another opportunity to score on 71 after a Kuwas free kick left him unmarked in the box, but the captain guided his diving header wide. Almog had a shot deflected by a defender before goalkeeper Mekhti Dzhenetov managed to spread his body across and save on 75. A minute later, Nir Bitton made his Maccabi debut as he replaced Nachmias raising the loudest cheer on the night with Dan Glazer also coming on for Golasa.

Van Overeem came close to open his Maccabi account and break as the ball fell to the Dutch born midfielder whose powerful drive forced another save from the keeper. Ivic made his fifth and final change as Kuwas bowed out and was replaced in the 85th minute by Dan Biton.

Despite Maccabi’s attempts go carve an opening Zira managed to hang on and ensure that no goals are scored on the night.

The 30-year-old midfielder who returned to Israel after nine years abroad at Celtic Glasgow, said: “To return to Israeli football is fun but not to this weather” Bitton, who played in Scotland said with a smile. “I worked beey hard during the entire close season in order to reach this moment. I arrived at a massive club who showed faith in me alm along the way. I am here to pay them back and five everything to this club”.

On his decision to return to Maccabi the tall central defender said: “The club new that my ambition was to keep on playing abroad. As someone who loves stability in life Maccabi showed me all along the way their desire to add me. This was very important for me that the club wishing to sign me will really want me to join. Maccabi showed me that path right from the beginning. I came from a massive club which was competing for titles and now I joined a massive club which is competing for titles”.