Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Head Coach over the past two seasons, Vladimir Ivic, will end his role at the club after two seasons in charge of the first team. Also departing will be Assistant Coach Milos Vesselinovic, Goalkeeping Coach Christos Kelpekis, Darko Obradovic the Head Fitness Coach and Sport-Therapist Nenad Kovacevic.

The Serbian coach guided the team to two successive league titles and a Toto Cup trophy.

Maccabi’s Owner Mitch Goldhar said: “Vladimir Ivic joined Maccabi as a young promising coach and is leaving the club as a highly successful one. In the two years at the club, Vlada, displayed many of the things Maccabi values– work ethic, professionalism, respect for others and attention to detail; which was on display week after week. The 2019/20 season has been a particularly difficult one for everyone, both in and out of football and I respect Vladan’s wish to have time to evaluate his and his family’s various possible future plans. We all wish Vladan all the best in the future”. 

Ivic added: “After two fantastic years we had here in Israel I would like to thank our owner, Mitch Goldhar, all the people at the club, the players who worked very hard with me in these two years and the Maccabi fans who were with us and supported us to achieve our goal. I have taken the decision to have a break and consider the next steps in my football career. I find it very hard choosing the words to describe my feelings as it was such a successful period and amazing two years for me and my family. We would like to thank everyone here and we will always keep our time at Maccabi in our minds and hearts”.

In his first season in charge, Ivic won the earliest championship in the history of Israeli football (March 31st, 2019) and with a 31-point-gap from second place with a squad packed with home grown talent.

This campaign, Ivic won the Championship for the second season in succession and with a double-figure point difference from second place. In addition to an extraordinary defensive record of goals conceded, Ivic also guided the team to an outstanding unbeaten record in 35 league matches.

We enjoyed ourselves, we had fun, we won and now the time has come to pay tributes! After the lifting the championship plate for the second time in succession and 24th in the club’s history – you will decide in the forthcoming days the identity of the season awards winners. 

Watch the video clip below of the candidates for the HISENSE goal of the season, chose your favorite goal of the 2019/20 season and submit your votes.

Maccabi left Sammy Ofer stadium last night with a 1-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa which completed their fourth victory of the season against the Haifaites. Once again, Maccabi kept a clean sheet and here are some figures following yet another successful 90 minutes.

The record against Haifa

This is the seventh time in the history that the champions have a 100% success record against the runners-up side, but also the first time ever that the champions have a 100% record when they meet the team in second place 4 times in one season.

Maccabi improved their record against Haifa which currently stands on 1 defeat in their last 28 league matches.

Last night’s result stretched Maccabi’s unbeaten league run against Haifa to 13 matches.

Will the success rate ratio improve?

Maccabi’s 26^th league victory on the penultimate game of the 2019/20 season, improved the success rate to 82.9%.

A victory over Hapoel Be’ersheva on Tuesday’s final day of the season could set an all-time success rate record since the 3 points per victory system was introduced in the 1982/83 season.

Maccabi are the current holders of that record (82.4%) set by Vladimir Ivic’s side last season.

Last night’s clean sheet was the 29^th time in 35 matches that a Maccabi keeper doesn’t have to pick a ball out of his net. 

With eight goals conceded in 35 matches, Ivic’s players boast an imaginary record of 0.228 goals against them per game.

The 17^th goal-scorer

Enric Saborit’s winning goal added him to a long list of goal scorers as he became the 17^th goal scorer this season – an all-time club record.

The champions are one scorer short of the current joint record holders (Beitar Jerusalem 2005/06) and (Hapoel Tel Aviv 2013/14). Now is the time for Jair Amador and Andre Geraldes to shine?  

The final task

Maccabi equaled a club record of 38 successive league matches without a defeat. On Tuesday they will try and beat that record by completing a full season without a defeat. Maccabi are now 8 matches from setting a new all-time record which is currently held by Maccabi Haifa of 1994.

Midfielder Dor Peretz who took part in the 4th victory over Maccabi Haifa this season, summed up the match and said: “We arrive in every game to try and eat the pitch up and want to win. I am happy we beat Maccabi Haifa for the fourth time this season. We would like to finish the season with a good taste and will prepare accordingly. I had several chances and should have scored them. I am happy I was able to create those chances. We will sum up the season after the match against Be’ersheva”.

Maccabi Tel Aviv recorded their fourth league victory over Macabi Haifa this season following a 1-0 win at Sammy Ofer. Enric Saborit scored his debut goal of the campaign which stretched Maccabi’s unbeaten run to 35 league matches. Vladimir Ivic’s side which kept another clean sheet to stretch the lead at the top of the table to 15 points from second place Maccabi Haifa. Maccabi will now try end the season with an unbeaten record should they avoid defeat on Tuesday’s final match against Hapoel Beersheva.

The top of the table clash against Maccabi Haifa was originally set to be the championship decider, but Maccabi clinched the title and lifted the trophy last week – the only thing left to play for was far from just bragging rights.

In addition to the bitter rivalry between the two clubs, Maccabi’s 4-3 on their last match against Haifa at Sammy Ofer, together with an unbeaten record which stretches to 34 league matches meant that plenty was left at stake.

News that Avi Rikan, Eyal Golasa and Eitan Tibi and team manager Yoav Ziv who were ordered to go into isolation due to alleged exposure to someone diagnosed with Covid19 before the last Tel Aviv derby, left Vladimir Ivic with a last minute selection headache.

Jair Amador dropped to the bench as Ivic returned to the flat-back-four formation with Sheran Yeini and Schahar Piven lining up right in-front of Greek goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis. Andre Geraldes and Enric Saborit returned to the right and left full-back roles respectively, while Dan Glazer also returned to the starting line up as the anchor-man right behind Dor Peretz and Ruslan Barsky as a three-man strong midfield. Yonatan Cohen, who scored the winning goal against Beitar Jerusalem in midweek returned to the side and joined Eylon Almog and Nick Blackman as the trio with attacking responsibilities.

Young Nadav Nidam and Ronen Hanzis were named amongst the 8 substitutes as the long list of absentees left Ivic with one man short on the bench. Omer Katz, Jair Amador, Itay Schechter, Parfait Guigaon, Maor Kandil and Ofir Davidzada were all named on the bench waiting for their chance.  

First Half

Two minutes from the start, Ruslan Barsky came close to break the deadlock as a corner fell into his path, but he miscued his shot. Two minutes later, Dan Glazer stripped Chery of the ball and released a counter attack before Nick Blackman teed-up Dor Peretz whose shot went high into the stand. Eylon Almog was the first to test Haifa’s keeper from a long range, but his powerful drive was easily collected by the American keeper.

Enric Saborit broke the deadlock as he chipped the keeper in the 25th minute after Haifa’s defense failed to clear Yonatan Cohen’s free kick and Glazer’s following header allowing the Spaniard to score his first goal of the season.

Right on the half hour mark, Peretz could have doubled the score but after skipping past a defender he rattled the crossbar from close range. Haifa came close to level the score at the opposite end, but Sheran Yeini’s last gasp block denied Chery.

Almog missed a chance to double the lead on 37 as he curled a free kick straight into the hands of Cohen after Peretz was tripped on the edge of the area.

Chery tested Andreas Gianniotis for the first time on 43 only to see the Greek custodian need two attempts to capture the ball. A minute later, Peretz had another chance inside the area, but his shot which caught the keeper stranded on his line was deflected out for a corner.

Second Half

Ofri Arad sent a header which narrowly missed the target on 52 as Ivic made his first change shortly after with Ofir Dsvidzada coming on for Almog.

Yannick Wildschut and Chery combined well on 63 to break through Maccabi’s defensive line, but with only Gianniotis to beat Chery hooked his shot wide. 

A minute later at the opposite end, Cohen won a tackle but his cross which rolled across the face of goal was cleared by Trent Sainsbury before Peretz could tap it home.

Itay Schechter came in for Blackman on 67 as Ivic made his second change of the game.

Peretz headed wide following a cross from Davidzada in the 90th minute. Ivic made a double change in injury time as Nadav Nidam and Maor Kandil came in for Peretz and Cohen respectively.

Nidam could have celebrated his debut appearance this season with a goal inside injury time, but his right foot shot from inside the area went high and wide.