Dan Glezer, the Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder looked ahead to Sunday’s contest at home against Bnei Yehuda:

“It’s clear to everybody that this season isn’t finished yet. The professional staff continue to prepare us well and remind us that this is a special season in which we still have records to break and become a historical club. We all will come into every match the the desire to succeed and play quality football. Last match wasn’t very good and we are ware of that. However, it has given us the drive to want to make sure that we play to our potential.”

About Bnei Yehuda:
Bnei Yehuda is a very tough team and we know them very well and they know us as this is our 5th match against them this season. They play aggressive football and like to counter. We are aware of that and will be ready. I’m sure that the staff will prepare us well to face them.”

The importance of the fans:
“The fans have to be very satisfied with our season. We need them to come support us as we know how well they can and always be with us. These are our last two home matches in Netanya and we want them to enjoy them. It’s great when we can celebrate with them after the matches. We know that they are the best fans.”

Scoring:
“I really hope that I’ll be able to score a goal before the end of the season and it’s very important and I’ve been working hard towards that. I know that it’s a piece that is missing. A player like myself knows that the most important part of the role is on the midfield, whether it’s to distribute the ball or push the team forwards or stay back when necessary.”

Familiarity between the clubs:
“Yossi Abuksis in an excellent coach and Bnei Yehuda is a very good club. We are aware of that but we are very familiar with their players along with their strength and weaknesses. This will be a very tough match.”

Live Park celebrations:
“The celebrations will be at the Live Park in Rishon Le’Zion and we are excited but we aren’t thinking of them yet as we have to play quality football and win the next two home matches. After that we can celebrate to our hearts content at Live Park together with the fans.”

To date there have been 133 matches between the clubs: The record: 64 Maccabi wins, 31 draws, 38 Bnei Yehuda wins. Goal Differential: 198:138 in favor of Maccabi. The Yellow & Blue need only two goals to reach 200 markers against Bnei Yehuda.

The home record against Bnei Yehuda in 66 matches: 37 Maccabi wins, 14 draws, 15 losses. Goal Differential: 103:57.

Maccabi has faced Yossi Abuksis’s club 4 times this season. The Yellow & Blue fell to Bnei Yehuda in the State Cup semifinals but won all 3 league matches with a goal differential of 7:2.

Maccabi has a 5 match league winning streak against Bnei Yehuda which matches their record set in 1974/75.

In addition, Maccabi has a 38 match league undefeated streak which began last season with a Championship Playoff win against Bnei Yehuda.

This season’s Championship Playoffs schedule will see Maccabi meet Bnei Yehuda twice within 12 days.
Only one other time in history did the two squads face each other in such a short period of time. October 1965 the clubs met twice in 8 days when the league decided that during the 1965/66 season there wouldn’t be two rounds but back to back matches. Bnei Yehuda hosted Maccabi (1:0 for Bnei Yehuda) in the first match and the Yellow & Blue won 3:0 at Bloomfield 8 days later.

Two players have scored a hat trick against Bnei Yehuda – Avi Nimni in 2002/03 (5:0) and Rafi Levi in 1959/60 (4:1). There have been 19 braces including Yonatan Cohen this season.

Maccabi has scored 15 league goals against Bnei Yehuda in the 90’ – including Yonatan Cohen’s 94’ strike 2 weeks ago.

Yossi Abuksis has a unique record as a coach against Maccabi Tel Aviv: He began with 3 wins and 2 draws in his first 5 matches against Maccabi and in the last 16 contests he has drawn twice and lost 14 times.

There have been 62 players who have appeared for both clubs
Seven players have scored for either side. Eliran Atar, Eli Bitton, Kfir Edri, Moshe Bitton, Nir Sevilla, Reuven Oved and Shlomo Shikva.

Now’s the time to celebrate and honor one of the greatest seasons in the history of Israeli football. The stage is set for the Official Championship Celebration which will take place on May 12th at the Live Park Rishon Le’Zion. Doors open at 19:00 and the program begins at 20:00.

It’s going to be an amazing evening! So what’s waiting for you?
* An incredible player presentation
* Performances by EZ, Itay Levi and Hanan Ben Ari!
* Special Championship merchandise (There will be surprises as well!)
* Food and drink stands around the complex

Please note: As per instructions from the Police the event will require entry via a ticket. There will be a symbolic fee of 5 NIS per ticket. This is in order for the security personnel to access the size of the crowd that will attend. It’s important to mention that all ticket funds from ticket sales will go towards the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation and the Leaan Ticket Office is not changing a service fee.

Other information
Ticket sales for the event begin Thursday at 20:00 with priority given to Season Ticket Holders until Sunday May 6, 2019 at 12:00. At that time ticket sales will be open to the general public. In addition tickets will be in sale at the club’s upcoming home match on Sunday at 20:30.

Click Here to purchase tickets to the celebration for Season Ticket Holders only

Tickets for Season Ticket Holders Only:
Season Ticket Holders can purchase up to 3 tickets (one for themselves and 2 more)
Live Park is split into 3 areas and is limited in each one as per the security personnel. Going from one area to another is prohibited.

Do you additional questions? Click here and we’re sure you’ll find out the answers.

See you at Live Park! Yalla Maccabi!

“When I played in the Maccabi youth department my grandfather used to come to the matches and when a player would run into me, which happened often enough, he would stand in the tribune and cry. As I became a bit older I asked him not to come to the matches anymore,” explained Guy Tzarfati who remembered the situation with his grandfather Itzhak Hecht’s very well.

Former player and Under-19 coach Guy Tzarfati became a mainstay in the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad and Israel National Team and experienced many fine moments in his career as well as challenging ones too. But he always knew how to handle anything that came his way and continued on. 

This part of his character, explained Tzarfati was part of him as his grandfather Itzhak Hecht, a Holocaust survivor would tell him about the days of horror and difficulty he spent during the inferno that surrounded Europe.

The decision to join the Polish army at the age of 16
Itzhak Hecht was born in the city of Łódź, Poland. When he turned 16 years of age and before the Nazis had invaded his home country, Itzhak decided to enlist in the Polish Army. “My grandfather understood just before the war began that the situation in Poland was very bad and he decided to fake his age from 16 to 18 in order to join the army,” Tzarfati said.

While his friends were busy in school and just being kids, he left his family with the decision to try and make it to the borders of Israel. Together with some of his Jewish friends in the army they decided to escape Poland for Israel.

Itzhak hid with a family in Jerusalem and met his wife
“My grandfather never slept in a dark room. Only in the lit living room.”

“They didn’t talk about the Holocaust in our home, never, ever. This was a deep wound that was never discussed. He wouldn’t sleep in a dark room as it would give him nightmares and that’s why he only slept in the living room with a light on.” 

Despite that, Tzarfati recalled the interest he had about the number on his grandfathers arm and knew his story well. He also remembers when his grandfather along with his brother came to watch his youth matches. “My grandfather lived right by Kiryat Shalom right next to Maccabi’s Training Ground. Even when my father had played for the Maccabi youth my grandfather came to watch him as well as when his grandchildren played there. I remember his fear and desire to watch over us when we were tackled. We got up quickly to calm him down or else he would begin to cry.”

Tzarfati became a Maccabist in his family’s home and joined the club, “There are things you learn not just from there. Children like me lived through the stories of our grandfathers and grandmothers who experienced the Holocaust. We learnt how to deal with many challenges and even when it may be very difficult you never give up and you just keep going with honor and pride. That is something that very much represents us.”

Last season, when Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv secured the championship, Tzarfati, this time as coach tried to imbue the values that he grew up with at home within his players in order to overcome every obstacle that may be in their way. To understand what it is to be a Jew who came from the lowest point and be able to rise up to be the strongest that thy could be is something that can be found in our DNA. 

“I recall one of the matches before the end of the season when we were fighting for the championship and we were having a rough time. I showed the players the video of when the Israel Air Force flew above the Auschwitz concentration camp. This was one of the most powerful moments and they understood what it meant to be a Jew and what it means to rise from the ashes. It’s in our DNA and we pass it along to players and coaches so they can be as strong as possible.”

“To wear the Maccabi Tel Aviv shirt with the yellow symbol explains what it means to be both a footballer and sportsperson. It represents something that we had experienced in the past which was very difficult but we were able to rise above it. That’s exactly what the Magen David, the Star of David which the Jews in the Holocaust had to wear is and this is something that is part of our tradition whether we are children, players or coaches; it’s something very powerful.”

May 5, Maccabi Tel Aviv – Bnei Yehuda, 20:30 Netanya Stadium
The month of May begins with a the final meeting of the season against Bnei Yehuda as Maccabi will look to continue chasing down new league records.

May 9: The Championship Song is revealed!
Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day 71 will see the Official 2018/19 Championship Song by Hanan Ben Ari and produced by Peter Roth make its debut. Make sure to stay tuned to all of Maccabi’s Official media platforms to be the first to hear it.

May 11, Maccabi Tel Aviv – Maccabi Netanya, Netanya Stadium (time TBD)
Without question this will be one of the highlights for the upcoming month and perhaps the entire season. At the final home match of the season the club will take the opportunity to lift the Championship plate at the official championship ceremony which will be a super exciting evening.

May 12 at 19:00: Championship Celebration – LIVE PARK Rishon Le’Zion
One of the most exciting night’s for the club over the past few seasons will take place and every true fan can’t miss out. Mark the date down and all the details will be available soon

May 19, Maccabi Haifa – Maccabi Tel Aviv, Sammy Ofer Stadium (time and date TBD)
Maccabi will close out the 2018/19 season with two away matches with the first taking place against the Haifa Greens who are battling for a place in European qualification.

May 25, Hapoel Beer Sheva – Maccabi Tel Aviv Toto-Turner Stadium (time and date TBD)
Just before the summer break and the opening of the transfer window, Vladimir Ivic’s squad will face the club’s biggest rival over the past few seasons. We’ll also be able to do a final tally on the campaign that was and see which records were broken.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC is happy to announce to the final “signing” of the season as Hanan Ben Ari joins the Maccabi Tel Aviv family with the Official 2018/19 Season Song produced by Peter Roth.

The song will be released across all of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s platforms on May 9th.

Ben Ari (31), a Maccabist from birth and accomplished musician who released a number of huge hits in the arena of Israeli music (HaChaim Shelanu Tutim, Wikipedia, Aluf Olam) burst onto the scene in 2014 and is now a permanent fixture on the Israeli playlist.

Ben Ari’s collection of titles includes, Galgaltz’s Song of the Year “HaChaim Shelanu Tutim” (2016). In addition, the song “Wikipedia” won the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in “Song of the Year” for 2017 while it came in second place on Galgaltz’s Song of the Year list.

Ben Ari spoke with excitement about the song: “I’ve been a Maccabist since the age of 8. The year was 1996 and my older brother unanimously stated that in Israel we are fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv and outside of the country we would be fans of Figo who was with Barcelona as well as Argentina with Batistuta.”

“We played football in the neighborhood and we pretended to be the Brumer brothers, heading the ball like Eli Driks, curling it just as Zohar did and dribbling exactly like Nimni. At the end of that season our Maccabi won a historic double and we all sang in school like crazy, ‘Tzahov Oleh Zeh Maccabi’!”

“23 years have passed since then, Maccabi is again the champion and this time in the most convincing and unequivocal manner that I can remember. The fact that I’m performing the championship song? It’s bigger than lighting a torch on Yom Ha’atzmaut if you ask me. Yalla Maccabi!”