Maccabi Tel Aviv maintained their place at the top of the TASE Premier League standings in December thanks to some excellent player performances and it’s now time to pick the BSR Player of December.

One lucky supporter will win two tickets to a Maccabi home game, a signed team shirt and a team scarf. The prizes will be presented at Maccabi’s official shop by your BSR Player of the Month winner.

All you need to do is to pick the player of your choice from the list below. The ballot is open until Sunday at 14:00.

On Sunday at 17:00, all the fans who voted for the winning player will receive a text message to their mobile phones. The first question recipient to send back the correct answer will win the prize.

January 6: Maccabi Haifa v. Maccabi Tel Aviv, Sammy Ofer Stadium, 20:15

Maccabi Haifa are the first opponents of the new year in an away match at Sammy Ofer Stadium and Vladimir Ivic’s charges take on their closest challengers for the TASE Premier League title. It will be a throw-back to the major clashes of the 1990s when the two clubs tussled regularly for supremacy of the league.

January 7: Transfer window opens

Off the field, the transfer window opens for a month until February 6. What changes, if any, will Maccabi make during this period? You can be the first to know through the Maccabi Tel Aviv smart phone app. Download it and register for free and set up alerts. You can also keep abreast of developments on maccabi-tlv.co.il/en

January 13: Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Beitar Jerusalem, TBA 20:15

Another big clash is next up on the pitch for Maccabi , who host in-form Beitar Jerusalem, currently in third place in the standings eight points off the pace. The venue for this home match will be determined later.

January 18: Hapoel Hadera v. Maccabi Tel Aviv, Netanya 19:50

After two Monday night games, Maccabi return to action on Saturday in this away fixture against Hadera in Netanya, Maccabi’s former home.

January 25, Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Ashdod SC, Bloomfield, 19:50

The month ends with another home game and Maccabi hope to do the double over their opponents after winning the first clash between the two opponents in Ashdod 1-0 thanks to Chico Ofoedu’s winner.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv Hisense Goal of the Decade has been announced following a week of fan voting and your choice for the club’s best goal of the past 10 years was Eran Zahavi’s winner in the 3-2 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Derby of 2013-14.

The winning goal received 38 percent of the vote while Zahavi’s equaliser for 2-2 in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round against FC Basel was second with 25 percent. Barak Itzhaki’s overhead kick against Maccabi Haifa was third in the rankings with 20 percent and Moshiko Lugasi’s strike against Bnei Yehuda was fourth with 11 percent.

On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 17:00 all participants will receive a text message with a question and the person with the swiftest correct answer will win the lucrative prize of a season ticket for next season and a 50-inch Hisense TV.

Maccabi Tel Aviv have played 529 fixtures during the past decade. They have won 221 times, 73 matches have ended in draws and there have been 66 defeats. The goal difference is 923-481.

The fastest goal in any match was scored within 13 seconds from kickoff by Vidar Kjartansson.

Dor Micha has posted most appearances and has provided 91 goal assists.

Eran Zahavi has scored most goals, at 127, and Sheran Yeini has had most on-field time, with 26,661 minutes. 

Maccabi have won nine titles between 2010 and 2020, the most among any Israeli club in the period.

Spain is the source of most foreign players for Maccabi, with six, and there have been nine foreign coaches.

The most-played opposing team have been Maccabi Haifa, against whom there have been 40 meetings.

Dor is the most common given name among Maccabi’s players over the period: Dor Micha, Dor Peretz, Dor Jan, Dor Malul and Dor Galili.

The goal scored from the longest distance was struck by Mahran Radi from 35 metres in the Derby on February 2, 2015.

The most goals scored by the same player in one match is four, by Eran Zahavi against Kiryat Shmona on 27.12.2015.

Maccabi have amassed 736 league points during the decade, the most for any club and well ahead of Hapoel Beersheba, who had 609 points, and Maccabi Haifa in third with 584.

Current coach Vladimir Ivic has been at the helm for the most matches this decade, with 76. Second was Jordi Cruyff with 69 and third was Oscar Garcia with 50.

The most common result was 2-0, which was achieved 68 times. A 1-0 win was registered 64 times. The highest result was 6-0 and was notched three times, against Maccabi Haifa in 2015-16, Hapoel Petah Tikva in 2014-15 and Zeleznicar of Bosnia in 2011-12.

Eli Hakhmon was the referee who most commonly took charge of matches involving Maccabi. He did so 38 times.

Sheran Yeini, a defender, has kept goal on two occasions, in 2010-11 against Hapoel Beersheba, and against Maccabi Netanya in 2014-15.

Tickets have gone on sale for the big 17th round of the TASE Premier League clash between hosts Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday, January 6 at the Sammy Ofer Stadium, kickoff at 20:15.

Priority purchase for the limited number of tickets for away supporters will be afforded until Wednesday, January 1 at 19:00 to Maccabi fans who have accrued 20 or more loyalty points for away games. Supporters who qualify for priority purchase will be notified by SMS text message. If any tickets remain after the deadline, they will be available for purchase by FOREVER and FOREVER PLUS members.

Tickets can be obtained through the official Maccabi Tel Aviv FC web site from Monday, at the Lean Ticket office, 42 Frishman Street, Tel Aviv or by phone on *8780.

Loyalty points will not be awarded for purchases for this fixture because of the small number of available tickets.

Ticket prices:

Maccabi supporters will have stadium access through gates J and K. Note that tickets cannot be collected the stadium box office and should be printed at home.

Only hard copy tickets will be accepted at the turnstiles, mobile phone scans will not afford access to the stadium.

Under-18, soldiers with military ID card, women: NIS 49.5 (tickets of this type are limited)

Adult: NIS 99

Tickets ordered by phone or internet: Under-18, soldiers with military ID card, women: NIS 54.5. Adults: NIS 104

Additional points of note:

Gates open at 18:00

Discount ticket holders must present documentation to prove their eligibility with a discounted ticket and it will be checked at the stadium. Those failing to do so or unable to confirm their status will be denied entry to the stadium and refunds will not be given.

Maccabi fans will enter the stadium through gates J and K there will be access between the lower and upper tiers in those sections and throughout the seating areas.

Maccabi Tel Aviv on Saturday backed up their midweek success in the 3-0 win over Bnei Yehuda with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Hapoel Kfar Sava at Bloomfield.

There is just over a week to go before the big clash with second-placed Maccabi Haifa at Sami Ofer stadium and the 7-0 goal difference tally will be a confidence booster for the boys in yellow and blue.

The victory over Kfar Sava was the first for almost two years since four different players scored in the same match. It was last achieved in January 2017 when Maccabi beat Hapoel Raanana 4-1.

The win was also the 11th year in a row that Maccabi have ended the calendar year with a league victory, a record that began in 2009 and is peerless among Israeli clubs.

Maccabi’s continued impressive defensive record continues and Daniel Tenenbaum has kept a clean sheet in 15 out of 16 matches this season. The club’s goal difference is also daunting, at 28-1.

Yonatan Cohen continues to rack up impressive stats too and he added an assist to the three he had against Bnei Yehuda and now leads the league with six to add to the six goals he has scored. 

Omer Atzili is another Maccabi forward with impressive stats and although he played for 72 minutes on Saturday, he made one assist and scored once, a third goal in two matches. 

The other strikers also cashed in and Itay Shechter and Chico Ofoedu also scored, respectively their third and fifth goals of the season.

Midfielder Dan Glazer had two telling passes that led to goals against Kfar Sava, while in defence Enric Saborit won 10 of 14 tackles with opponents, Eitan Tibi was nine from 13 and Jair Amador was five from six. Jair led with 13 dispossessions and Saborit had 10.