Category: News

Micha: “A win will give us a boost to begin the campaign”

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One of the Maccabi players who has experienced many season openers in Yellow & Blue is Dor Micha. Just ahead of the Matchday 1 encounter versus Beitar Jerusalem, the midfielder spoke at the prematch press conference at Kiryat Shalom:

Record against Beitar:
“The statistics don’t favor us, but those are just statistics. We have had trouble with them but we are opening the season with this match and I hope that a win will give us a boost to begin the campaign.”

His health:
“I’m coming back from an injury, so we are moving ahead cautiously. I feel good and I’m in good shape. I’m ready to play.”

Beitar’s situation:
“They are a club that lives for these types of matches. They are always motivated against us and they have a quality squad, so it will be a difficult contest.”

Maccabi’s character so far this season:
“I believe that at this point of the season you have seen that we have very strong character. We want to play better football and we have to do that but in Europe the most important thing are the results. To play a difficult match in Austria and to come back with a good result is something that had been missing. So far we’ve been successful in recording good results in difficult matches. Our winning character has returned and that is something positive that we can take with us the rest of the way.”

About the defensive game:
“I don’t know of a player that was here and didn’t help out on the defensive side. You can say that maybe we weren’t as good but there was always plenty of motivation. It’s also the coach’s influence and where he wants us to be on the pitch.”

Cruyff: “We want to give our fans a good game”

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Maccabi Tel Aviv will open their Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al season on Matchday 1 against Beitar Jerusalem, Sunday night at the Netanya Stadium, 21:00. The Yellow & Blue will come into the contest after defeating Altach 1:0 away in Austria in 1st leg Europa League Playoff Round action. Head Coach Jordi Cruyff spoke at the prematch press conference:

Season Opener Happening: It’s All Waiting For You!

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Here it is! The Israel Premier League, Ligat Ha’Al returns and what a way to start it off with a match against Beitar Jerualem. Excited? Just wait and see what kind of Happening we have in store for you to open the season. So, where shall we begin?

Let’s start in the morning with our Special Digital Matchday Program to begin the 2017/18 campaign that you must read.

Omer Atzili will give you his best of the best and that’s just a taste of what’s to come. Of course the Program is Free! All you have to do is download the App

In the Program and on the Club’s other digital platforms (Website, App, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) you’ll find the Matchday Sale item that you won’t want to miss. Just keep updated throughout the day because you definitely don’t want to miss any other surprises!

Before the opening whistle, actually long beforehand you’ll find the Issta Photo Stand right by the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Trailer where you’ll be able to take home an unforgettable souvenir from Matchday One. We won’t say any more except that you better make sure to get there early.

What if we told you that we that we were going to treat you to some Pizza Prego during the match on us? Well then check out the next deal, as all you have to do is be creative and tell us why you deserve it on the Facebook Post that will come out on Saturday. The Pizza Prego delivery person will visit the lucky fan at halftime and treat you to some yummy Pizza. In addition, one fan at home will also have the chance to one the door and have pizza delivered right to your home. Bon Appetite!

You can’t watch the match? You’re on the base, the road or on an island? Beginning at 20:45 you’ll be able to hear the match broadcast on “LIVE from the Stadium” on the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Website and App. Lior Timor and Alon Natan will accompany you throughout the game and keep you updated right from the stadium with the latest action.

Just before the opening whistle the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation will continue the tradition of honoring a Special Olympics athlete as part of the season long project with the sportsperson being presented with the Medallion of Honor by Captain Sheran Yeini.

Make no mistake, it doesn’t end here. But we have to leave some surprises. You don’t open the season everyday. Good luck and YALLA MACCABI!

Superhero: The Amazing & Meaningful Story of the Yellow Spider

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הכירו את אופיר פנחס, העכביש הצהוב

Let’s put it this way, I have been rooting for Maccabi longer than I even know myself! I had a dream that I wanted to make a Maccabi tattoo on my whole body after I was released from the army. I went to a tattoo parlor but then I was afraid to do it because it just really wasn’t me. So I thought about what else could I do in place of a tattoo and I came up with doing Spiderman makeup in Yellow & Blue and since then I’ve been known as the Yellow Spider.

About 8 years ago I began to get tired very easily and I couldn’t understand as I am such a active person and I also worked out my entire life. But I started feeling worse and worse and during one of the blood tests I did they saw that there was an issue. They thought it was perhaps lymphoma so they sent me to another place for further tests until they understood that it was scarcoidosis. Know one knows how I contracted it but it is a type of lung disease that affects the whole body.

Unfortunately my case is very serious and I have pain 24 hours a day that never goes away. My physical ability is poor today and my wife helps me as I am in bed for the better part of each day. It’s not easy and I have to work very hard, every day, every hour and every minute. Maccabi is a huge part of my soul and it’s part of my therapy. It’s the most amazing and strongest medicine that one can have. Once I found out that I had this disease it took me a couple of weeks to say to myself that I have to deal with it, there’s nothing I can do and I’ll do the best as I possibly can.

Maccabi Tel Aviv heals the soul and when I go to a match it gives me so much energy and treatment that my soul needs. People who are in my situation can understand what I feel when I go to see Maccabi and that is also true for those who are healthy. People that have Maccabi in their blood know how it can heal the soul. It’s emotion and amazing energy. It’s the goosebumps that are all over the body, it’s the soul, all in the soul.

If we don’t know how to take care of our soul it doesn’t matter if you are healthy or ill. The most important thing is to have a healthy soul. That’s the best medicine one can have.

BLACKMAN JOINS ON LOAN FROM DERBY

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Maccabi Tel Aviv reached an agreement with Derby County for the loan deal of Nick Blackman who is set to join the club for one season.

The 27-year-old Manchester born Jewish forward who can play in various positions upfront, succesfully underwent a medical at the club and is set to wear the number 11 jersey.

Welcome Nick Blackman

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s coach Jordi Cruyff told the club’s official website: “Nick is a player we have been trying to sign for over three years and we are happy to have been able to do so. Nick is a player who can give us several options in various positions upfront as he is quick, strong with a very good shot. We are all sure he will contribute to strengthening Maccabi Tel Aviv and be an exciting player for our fans”.

Blackman added:”I know Maccabi is a club with great history and fantastic players and a fantastic coach. I have been in touch with Jordi for the past 3-4 years and  I am looking forward to working for him. I know I count as a home grown player, I am very proud of my roots and I am very excited to cone to Israel”

Blackman began his playing career at Macclesfield Town before joining Blackburn Rovers in 2009 and spending loan periods at Blackpool, Oldham Athletic, Motherwell and Aberdeen.

Eleven goals in 28 appearances for Sheffield United led to a switch to Reading for which Blackman scored 18 goals in 103 appearances between 2013 and 2016 when he joined the Rams.

Kjartansson: “We showed strong character”

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Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up a 1:0 away win over Altach in Innsbruck, Austria Thursday night and they were already back to training early this morning prior to returning to Israel. On Sunday the Yellow & Blue will kick off the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al season against Beitar Jerusalem while a press conference and final training session will take place Saturday evening.

Check out what goal scorer Vidar Kjartansson had to say following the victory and enjoy the photos from a sunny morning in Austria:

וידאר לאחר הניצחון על אלטאך


Ben Haim: “We fought and gave all of our heart”

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Tal Ben Haim, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s central defender spoke about the 1:0 1st leg Europa League Playoff Round victory over Altach in Innsbruck while also looking ahead to next week’s return match on Thursday as well as the Israel Premier League season opener on Sunday against Beitar Jerusalem:

“It was a good week for the club, but it was a tough match today for everyone. We fought and gave all of our heart and we came away with a good result. However, it’s only the first half and we will have a very tough match next Thursday night. I hope the fans will all come out and cheer as they always do and we will come ready to go. Before that we open up the Israeli league on Sunday and we have a very important match against Beitar Jerusalem so we have to be prepared for that as well.”

Summing up the win over Altach:
“It was a match that wasn’t played at the highest of levels on a pitch where the ball jumped a bit and it was hard for us to control the ball. We faced a very tough opponent and we showed character as we scored a goal while keeping a clean sheet. It was the 6th out of 7 matches where we didn’t give up a goal so that says something that everyone has to also take part in the defensive side of the game.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s match:
“We are professionals and we will have a good training session so we can come into the match prepared as best as possible.”

Cruyff: “We know how to battle”

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Jordi Cruyff, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach looked back at his side’s 1:0 win against Altach in Innsbruck, Austria in 1st leg Europa League Playoff Round action. The victory, thanks to Vidar Kjratansson’s second half marker gives the Yellow & Blue an away goal advantage in the return leg next Thursday night, August 24th at the Netanya Stadium:

“We knew that Altach have a very good team and play very good football. Against Red Bull Salzburg they were unlucky with the result. They pressed high and we wanted to move back which we did in the 2nd half and we scored. We didn’t dominate the game as we are used to.”

Europa League so far:
“We have had a few tough games in the Europa League so far and the team knows how to battle. We want to play football but Altach knew how to put pressure on us, they deserve a lot of credit. Next week we will have a home game with the heat and our fans so we can take advantage of that.”

Looking ahead to the return leg:
“Altach have always played to win so that won’t change. But I feel that in our home stadium with our fans we will be able to play our football and put that into practice. We didn’t control the ball and we didn’t dominate the play as we are used to.”

Maccabi takes home an important 1:0 victory over Altach

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The Yellow & Blue defeated Altach 1:0 in Innsbruck thanks to a ’67 goal by Vidar Kjartansson as the Icelandic striker slotted home a terrific pass from Ofir Davidzada who had taken the ball from his half and streaked down the pitch. Maccabi will look to advance to the Europa League Group Stages next Thursday night at home in the return leg of the Playoff Round. But prior to that, Jordi Cruyff’s side will get ready for the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al Season Opener on Sunday as they face Beitar Jerusalem at the Netanya Stadium at 21:00.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic, with Yuval Shpungin, Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi and Ofir Davidzada on defense. Captain Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan and Cristian Battocchio were in the midfield as Omer Atzily, Aaron Schoenfeld and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Barak Itzhaki, Sagiv Yehezkel, Egor Filipenka, Dor Micha, Shlomi Azulay and Dor Peretz.

First Half
With Altach controlling the pace of play over the first ten minutes of the contest, Ngamaleu had the first chance in ’11 but Rajikovic was in place. Maccabi’s first opportunity came in the ’17 when Tibi looked to have scored via a header but he was ruled to be offside. Atzily lifted a corner kick into the Austrian’s box in the ’26 to Schoenfeld but his ball went out.

Kjartansson came in off of the left wing in the ’35 but his effort was saved by the Altach keeper Martin Kobras while Christian Gebauer’s chance at the other end of the pitch was taken care of by Rajikovic. Gebauer would have another opportunity in the ’39 form the top of the box but his shot went way over the bar. Two minutes later, Atzily’s free kick made it into the box but Schoenfeld’s header missed the mark as a nice team effort by the hosts ended up with Jan Zwischenbrugger’s header going right into the waiting hands of Rajikovic as the half came to an end.

Second Half
Kjartasson took a brilliant pass in the box by Rikan, but fell while trying to handle the ball in the ’49 while at the other side for the pitch, Ngamaleu was left alone in front of Rajikovic but he lofted the ball over the bar. In the ’54 Ben Haim took care of a dangerous pass in the box to clear the ball to safety as the pace of play from both sides picked up.

Battocchio tried his luck from 23 meters out but missed the target in the ‘61 while Altach had all kinds of chances to score but Tibi, Rajikovic and Rikan all cleared the ball off of the line to keep the match goalless. Cruyff made his first substitute of the contest in the ’65 as Dor Micha came on for Atzily.

The Yellow & Blue would finally break the deadlock in the ’67 as Davidzada led a break downfield and passed the ball to Kjartansson who coolly slotted it home for a 1:0 Maccabi advantage!

Cruyff made his second substitution in the ’73 as Dor Peretz was introduced for Schoenfeld while Egor Filipenka came on for Battocchio in the ’83 as Yeini and Galvao each received yellow cards just prior to the switch. Altach looked for a late equalizer but wouldn’t find it as Maccabi took home a 1:0 win.

Jordi Cruyff’s squad will open up the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al on Sunday against Beitar Jerusalem at the Netanya Stadium, 21:00 and will play the 2nd leg Europa League Playoff Round match versus Altach on Thursday August 24th at home as the Yellow & Blue will attempt to advance to the group stages of the Europa League.