Category: News
Barsky: Even a big win is only worth 3 points
With just a day to go to the big clash with TASE Premier League leaders Hapoel Beersheba, Maccabi Tel Aviv held a regular news conference and alongside coach Vladimir Ivic, midfielder Ruslan Barsky commented about what is to be expected.
“We are aware that our defensive play will have to be at its best if we want to remain at the top of the league, and I’m certain that all the players will do their jobs. In attack, the players will also have to deliver so that we can score at Bloomfield, and I believe that it will happen tomorrow.”
Barsky said that preparations were no different than for any other game. “We are fully ready for every game, it’s just another encounter for three more points True that it’s an important clash and there is a lot of hype, but there are only three points on the line and we intend to take them.”
He also mentioned the fact that he has been tasked with more duties since the injury to Dor Peretz.
“Dor is a very important player and we all regret his injury and hope he returns soon, but I am working hard in training in order to get more playing time regardless of the fact that somebody else has been injured.”
Ivic: Concentration and hard work will yield results
The eighth round of TASE Premier League action will conclude on Monday night with Maccabi Tel Aviv hosting leaders Hapoel Beersheba at Bloomfield, kickoff 20:15. The team held a pre-match news conference and coach Vladimir Ivic talked about what to expect.
“This will be a difficult game, just like in the past but it’s one game,” Ivic said.
“We respect our opponents, they have been dominant for the past five seasons and we know what to expect from them but most important is how we play. If we concentrate and give our maximum I’m sure we will get the right result,” he added. 
The Serbian coach said there was no point in dwelling on previous good results.
“I have forgotten the 4-0 victory (we achieved last season). We must look forward because if we think about what we did before, we will certainly lose. Our task is to think about the next game.
“Regardless of what the media says, everybody will have an opinion about the game but most will talk after the game and not beforehand.”
Ivic repeated his mantra that there are no easy games. “Much will depend on our state of mind. We are prepared to work hard and concentrate but nobody can predict whether we will win or lose, we just need to fight and give of our best and we hope that all the players who take to the field will play their best, and will be totally professional.”
He said there were no additional injury worries and expected goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis to be in the squad.
Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Beersheba by the numbers
Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Hapoel Beersheba at Bloomfield tonight for what will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season. The rivalry between them is full of interesting statistics, so just before the kickoff, here are a few of the interesting ones worth keeping in mind.
There have been 112 league meetings between the sides. Maccabi have won 53 times, 33 have been draws and Beersheba have won on 26 occasions. Maccabi have a clear lead in goals scored: 165-97. 
There have been 35 matches at Bloomfield of which Maccabi have won 16 and lost five, the other 14 ended in draws. The goal difference is 53-26.
The last clash at Bloomfield in May 2016 was a goalless draw. It was the first of five matches at the old stadium in which Maccabi did not concede a goal at home, the run that is still ongoing and includes two matches at the old stadium and three in the new one. 
The biggest Maccabi win over Beersheba, 5-0, has been achieved twice and both were league clashes at Bloomfield, in 1995-96 and in 2012-13.
The largest attendance for a match between the two teams was 23,000 at Teddy Stadium in 2015-16 when Beersheba were the hosts.
Both teams have dominated the domestic scene for the past seven seasons during which they have shared league titles, the longest continuousl two-team domination since statehood in 1948.
Benny Tabak has scored most goals for Maccabi against Beersheba with nine, and Tabak and Eli Driks share the most appearances, with 28 each. 
The last clash between the two sides which was at Beersheba’s Toto Turner stadium last season, ended in a 4-0 win for Maccabi, and since the southerners’ return to the top division in 2009-10, they have lost by a four-goal margin on six occasions. Three of those defeats were inflicted by Maccabi, in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2018-19.
This season, Maccabi have not conceded a league goal in seven matches. This is equal with Hapoel Yahud’s record for clean sheets since the start of the season, set in 1981-82. Yahud finally conceded a goal in the 58th minute of their subsequent match, and tonight we will have to see whether Maccabi can better that record.
Draw and two wins for juniors
All three junior teams played away fixtures on Saturday and the A team, Maccabi “Oded,” were held to a goalless draw by their hosts, Maccabi Netanya. The Maccabi boys’ winning streak may have been halted, but they have temporarily, at least, retained the lead in their division with 16 points from seven matches. Maccabi Haifa, who are second in the table with 15 points, have a game in hand and will play on Tuesday against city rivals Hapoel Haifa.
The B team, Maccabi Eli Fuchs, came back from Hapoel Ramat Gan with a 3-1 win. Lior Aloni put Maccabi ahead in the fourth minute and two more goals by Orel Baya in the 22nd and 41st minute put the result beyond doubt even though the hosts scored a late consolation goal. The boys lead their division with 22 points from 10 matches.
The C team, Maccabi “Eldad” also won 3-1 at Hapoel Beersheba in a preview of sorts for the big game on Monday. It was their second consecutive win. Beersheba took an early lead but goals by Agam Hanoun in the 38th and 40th minutes and a third by Michael Merenstein in the 75th secured the win. The boys are in third place in their division with 12 points from four games.
Youth team beat Hapoel Rishon 1:0
Maccabi Tel Aviv “Shahar”, the club’s under-19 side, on Saturday affirmed their fine form by registering a 1:0 win over Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the seventh round of the youth league.
Maccabi dominated from the start and already had the ball in the net in the 12th minute, but Tal Torgeman’s effort was ruled offisde.
In the 24th minute, Rishon were saved by the crossbar after a powerful Ronen Hanchkis shot but Torgeman, who was again in the fray, put his shot off the rebound wide.
Two more attempts late in the half by Asaf Hershko and Shai Balahssen tested Rishon’s goalkeeper, who managed to keep the ball out on both occasions.
Maccabi dominated after the restart and had several chances, with Nadav Nidam and Omer Itzhaki both threatening but the breakthrough finally came in the 81st minute when Rave Asayag controlled a rebounding ball in the area and swivelled to shoot put the ball in the net.
Nehorhi Biton almost added a second in injury time, but his shot narrowly missed the target.
Blast from the past: Mitrovic’s rocket
Watch Maccabi train for Beersheba
Upcoming weekend youth fixtures
Hapoel Rishon Lezion will host Maccabi “Shahar”, the under-19 side, at Haberfeld Stadium, kickoff at 11:00. Following last weekend’s dramatic win over Beitar Jerusalem, the youth team, who are on 10 points, will look to continue their winning momentum and seek to better their current third position in the standings. Rishon are in 11th place after six rounds of play with seven points. The race for the top is turning out to be very tight.
The junior A side, Maccabi “Oded” will be hosted by Maccabi Netanya “Yonatan” at the Shapira ground in Netanya, kickoff 15:30. The boys are having a good run and share the table lead with Maccabi Haifa, both have 15 points from six matches.
It’s another tight race and Netanya are three points behind in seventh position in the standings.
The junior B side, Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” will be hosted by Hapoel Ramat Gan at the Ramat Hashikma ground at 15:50. Maccabi’s boys are also at the top of the standings on 19 points, but they share the lead with three other clubs. A win will be crucial to keep up with the pacesetters. Ramat Gan are in 14th place with eight points.
The junior C side, Maccabi “Eldad” will play Hapoel Beersheba at the Wassermill stadium at 11:00 in what will be a preview of sorts of the TASE Premier League’s featured match on Monday at Bloomfield. The boys will look to add another victory after last week’s win, and after five matches, they lie in fifth place in their division with nine points, the same as Beersheba, but with a better goal difference that puts them one place above their hosts.
Academy hosts “Football network tourney”
The Maccabi Tel Aviv youth academy on Tuesday organised a tournament for boys from the 2008 age group as it endeavours to expand contacts with clubs with which it holds ongoing ties.
Teams of nine players competed against each other in the day-long event at the Kiryat Shalom complex. Participating were Beitar Tel Aviv-Bat Yam, Hapoel Hadera, Ironi Gedera, Holon FC, Maccabi Ashkelon, Beitar Ramat Gan, Ramle SC and Maccabi Tel Aviv south and north clubs who entered boys born in 2009.
The final was contested by the two latter clubs, Maccabi Tel Aviv south and north, after they won all their preliminary matches and the southern team emerged as winners following a penalty shoot-out.
During the event, cooperation agreements were signed with clubs as Maccabi strives to share knowledge its system and philosophy. The project’s long-term aim is to bring the most talented youngsters to Maccabi and to continue to expand its contacts with other clubs throughout the country.
