Maccabi Tel Aviv ended their 2017/18 Europa League campaign on a high note defeating Spanish side Villarreal 1:0 on a goal by Nick Blackman. Head Coach Jordi Cruyff summed up this season’s Europa League Group Stages:

Thoughts on taking 4 points from the strongest club in the group:
“I never imagined that we would take 4 points from Villarreal. Sometimes what you think will happen just doesn’t. We’re happy and this will help our confidence. The team looked better. This was a disappointing group stage for us but we gained confidence going into the matches that are ahead of us.”

About the match:
“Both clubs played with different lineups than usual and if I was a Villareal fan I’d be happy to know that there are many young talented players that featured today. When you save players, sometimes you may end up losing. In any case, I can say that whatever happened here today is already in the past and we have to already think about the next game.”

Potentially coaching in Spain:
“I haven’t thought about it and I concentrated on this match. It was great to play here as it’s my home and I speak the language. It was important for us as a team to look good and gain confidence. We gave up too many goals this campaign but we were better today. Like I said we are already looking ahead to the next match.”

Maccabi’s performances in Europe:
“We played 4 times in Europe the past number of years and I believe that the project was a success. We wanted to be more competitive this season and battle for second place in the group, it didn’t happen and perhaps we just weren’t fresh enough and we had injuries, but now it’s not really important. Our goal was to advance and that will be our goal in the years to come.”

Nick Blackman helped Maccabi Tel Aviv take the 3 points and the victory against La Liga outfit Villarreal to end their Europa League campaign with 4 points. The English striker’s second half goal was all the Yellow & Blue needed to give the 1,500 Maccabi fans in attendance a chance to sing and cheer at the top of the lungs all the way back to Israel.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic, Avi Rikan, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi, Ofir Davidzada, Yuval Shpungin, Dor Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Dor Micha, Aaron Schoenfeld and Nick Blackman.

Available on the bench were Daniel Lifshitz, Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim, Cristian Battocchio, Eliran Atar, Vidar Kjartansson and Barak Itzhaki.

First Half
With Maccabi looking to break the ice early, Rikan’s 5’ free kick went to Babin but his header was blocked by the keeper and sent out for a corner, while 2 minutes later Micha’s cross couldn’t find its intended address in the area.

Roberto Soriano had the host’s first chance of the contest in the 20’ but his long range attempt went out while ten minutes later Soriano again tried his luck from long distance to no avail. In the 32’ Blackman’s header in the box was taken care of by Barbosa and one minute later Peretz picked up a yellow card for a reckless tackle. Rikan’s 35’ chance from outside the area went over the goal as Maccabi came closer to taking the lead.

In the 40’ Mario Gonzalez took a long attempt that went out, while 3 minutes later Chuca’s gorgeous half volley just missed the target as the sides went into the half goalless.

Second Half
With the game beginning to open up Chuca sent González a beauty of a ball right in front of Rajikovic’s goal but the latter skied it over the bar in the 51’ while a minute later Blackman steamed in front the right but his chance missed the target.

But, then it happened. Yes! Goal! Micha sent a magnificent through ball to Blackman and #11 slotted it home for a 1:0 Maccabi lead in the 60’. Ten minutes later the Yellow & Blue welcomed back Eli Dasa who entered the match for Micha. In the 74’ Maccabi almost doubled their lead when Blackman left a ball for Golasa who handed it off to Rikan but his attempt just missed the post.

Cristian Battocchio was introduced for Rikan in the 83’ as Villarreal looked desperately for an equalizer as Antonio Rukavina and Darío Poveda missed close chances. Eliran Atar came in for Blackman in the 90’ as Maccabi wrapped up the victory to finish their Europa League campaign with 4 points and on a high note.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will visit Villarreal this evening on Matchday 6 of the Europa League Group Stages at the Estadip de la Ceramica. There will be over 1,500 Yellow & Blue fans in attendance who will root Maccabi on.

Also on the site:
Cruyff: “We want to finish the campaign on a high note

Many of the fans began their trip to Spain with the Barcelona and Real Madrid Champions League matches where they made their Yellow & Blue mark already. The #OleMaccabi campaign has begun and here’s just a sampling of the photos that we’ve received ahead of tonight’s Europa League encounter.

Are you also on your way to the match? Or are you watching the contest somewhere’s else around the world? Send your pictures to the Official Facebook Page and we’ll make sure that the whole Yellow & Blue army will see them. Don’t forget to tag #OleMaccabi.

Over 1,500 Yellow & Blue fans will be at the Estadio de la Ceramica this evening in Villarreal and Or Asaf who won the “Pizza Prego Fly with Maccabi to the Villarreal Match” Campaign will join them.

Or was one of thousands of Maccabi fans who participated in the campaign and won prizes, but Asaf was the big winner and had the chance to fly with the team, enjoy fantastic accommodations in Valencia while also receiving Category 1 tickets for the match against Villarreal.

Just before embarking on the trip, Or and Alon Sahar, Pizza Prego CEO spoke about the opportunity of a lifetime.

Or Asaf:
“I received the telephone call and I thought that it was a big joke and someone was playing a trick on me. I couldn’t believe that I won the trip. I checked it out and even my father didn’t believe it was true. But when I spoke to Alon (Pizza Prego CEO) on Friday I realized that it’s happening. I’m so happy and I want to thanks Pizza Prego and Alon for the chance to go on this trip. I hope we will come back with a good result.”

Alon Sahar, Pizza Prego CEO:
“We had a campaign that anyone who downloaded the Pizza Prego App and became a Pizza Prego member had a chance to win the trip and tons of other prizes when they ordered a pizza. Or won the trip of a lifetime to Villarreal, fly with the Maccabi players and have great time. Over 4,000 people participated and downloaded the App and won many prizes from both Pizza Prego and Maccabi Tel Aviv.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Villarreal on Matchday 6 of the Europa League Group Stages on Thursday night and will mark the end of the Yellow & Blue’s 2017/18 continental campaign. Head Coach Jordi Cruyff addressed the media ahead of the match:

“Everyone knows that the group has already been decided but we have a lot of motivation to play in Spain against a La Liga club. We are hoping to end the campaign on a high note. The players know that we had a disappointing competition but we want to turn it around this last game and of course gain confidence that we can use in the league.”

About the busy schedule:
“We’ve had a lot of matches recently, but when you decide to become a professional footballer that comes with the business. We want to put on a good performance and we have some players who are returning to action and want to play well. We are beginning a tough week and we have to freshen up and most importantly give a better impression than we have in our past European matches.

Looking ahead to Villarreal:
“They have played very positively and dynamically since the arrival of the new coach. They have had to deal with many injuries but we know that this is a club that always wants to win and control the play. They are a very respectable European club. Villarreal has many good young Spanish players and they will have a chance to impress their coach and convince him to give them more minutes, so I’m sure they will be motivated more than normal. They are very talented and capable and that’s what we have to expect.”

Central defender Jean-Sylvain Babin who spent a number of years in Spain also commented on the upcoming clash:
“It’s great to be back on Spain. I played here for many years and I’m very motivated. Our last few matches weren’t as good and we want to correct that. We have a lot of motivation to get a good result this campaign and we know that there are a lot of fans who will be here to support us. We want to record a good result for them.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv will play Maccabi Petah Tikva on Matchday 13 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al on Monday December 11th at the Moshava Stadium to close our the first round of matches. Tickets are now on sale so come out and cheer on the Yellow & Blue.

Please Note: This match is part of the Points Allocation System and season ticket holders will receive 2 points for this contest while non-season ticket holders will receive 1 point. Make sure that when tickets are purchased via the Leaan Website, telephone or Leaan Ticket Office the season ticket number is used in order to receive full points. Should the purchase not be done by using the season ticket number points will not be allocated.

Should a ticket be purchased and the fan doesn’t attend the match, there will be no refunds and no points will be allocated.

Tickets are on sale via the Leaan Ticket Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street Tel Aviv, telephone *8780 and the Leaan Website.

Ticket prices
(Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be seated in the East Side Sections 11-15 Unreserved)
Leaan Ticket Office:
East Side: 66 NIS
Silver Section: 110 NIS

Telephone/Website:
East Side: 71 NIS
Silver Section: 115 NIS

Ticket Collection
Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street between Sunday-Thursday 09:00-19:00, Friday 09:00-13:30.
Tickets may be collected on Matchday at the Stadium ticket windows beginning 3 hours prior to the match