Maccabi Tel Aviv will visit Hapoel Beer Sheva on Saturday on Matchday 28 of the Ligat Ha’Al Championship Playoffs. The right to purchase a ticket will be determined by the new Away Match Points System and a draw was held in the Club’s offices between the highest points earners (6 points). 78% of the highest points earners received the right to purchase a ticket to the match and will be able to do so up until Thursday March 30th at 12:00. Due to the sale of tickets in this fashion for the match, the points system will not be in place. In other words, you will not earn any points by purchasing a ticket to this match.

Tickets where points may have been earned:
Maccabi Petah Tikva – Maccabi Tel Aviv 13.02 – 2 Points
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Maccabi Petah Tikva (State Cup) 03.01 – 1 Point
Hapoel Ashkelon – Maccabi Tel Aviv 05.03 – 3 Points

Following a series of violent incidents between the fans of the two clubs during which there were a number of stabbings: Half a year ago a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan in Netanya and this past month a few Maccabi Haifa fans after a volleyball cup final in Raanana, the clubs decided to take coordinated joint measures to deal with these disturbances and eliminate the violence.

Last week, representatives of the two clubs along with the Meteor security company met and a number of steps were taken, including the establishment of a joint team to coordinate and plan joint measures to deal with the violence.

The Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Clubs gravely view these violent incidents and will do everything to prevent them from happening in the future at any level, which includes the possibility of preventing fans of the visiting club from attending matches between the two teams. The rivalry between the clubs is sporting rivalry and takes place on the field of play only.

Maccabi Tel Aviv recorded another successful month with four wins in four matches and now’s the time to sum it up by voting for the HISENSE Player of the Month.

All you have to do is submit your ballot by Tuesday March 28th at 12:00. That same afternoon at 17:00 all those who voted for the winning player will be asked a trivia question that will be sent via SMS. The first to answer the question correctly wins the TV thanks to HISENSE!

The Israel National Team lost to Spain 4:1 as part of 2018 World Cup Qualifying and while the Yellow & Blue had some representatives in Blue & White, they also had some playing for other countries as well.

As you already know, there were five Maccabi players on Elisha Levy’s squad that faced Spain as Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Chaim and Eli Dasa were included in the Starting XI. Both Ben Chaim and Tibi were substituted with the latter leaving the contest due to injury while Dor Micha and Sheran Yeini, who were part of the team did not see any playing time in Gijon.

Vidar Kjartansson started for Iceland in their 2:1 win away at Kosovo. The Icelandic striker played 69 minutes in the victory and was on the pitch for his side’s two goals. On Tuesday, the Icelander will play a friendly against Ireland.

Another Yellow & Blue player who was in action was Egor Filipenka for Belarus. The central defender was in the Starting XI and played 90 minutes in a 4:0 defeat to Sweden in Stockholm. Number 21 will face Macedonia on Tuesday in a friendly before returning to Maccabi.

Predrag Rajikovic was part of the Serbia squad but didn’t play in his National Team’s 3:1 win over Georgia. Finally, Eliel Peretz was won the Under-21 team in Cyrus where they lost in a friendly 1:0. Peretz was included in the starting lineup as his club gets ready for European Championship qualification which begins in August.

Cyprus – Israel (2006 World Cup Qualifiers)

Austria – Israel (1994 World Cup Qualifiers)

Latvia – Israel (2010 World Cup Qualifiers)

Israel – Andorra (Euro 2016 Qualifiers)

Macedonia – Israel (Euro 2008 Qualifiers)

Israel – Russia (1998 World Cup Qualifiers)

Israel – Italy (2018 World Cup Qualifiers)

Israel – Switzerland (2006 World Cup Qualifiers)

The Israel National Team will arguably play their toughest match on Friday night when they go up against one of the best National Teams in the world. The Blue & White will visit Spain in a World Cup 2018 Qualifying Matchday 5 clash in the city of Gijon. Dor Micha is with the team after having played extremely well with Maccabi Tel Aviv over the past few months and hopes to make his first appearance versus one of the top teams from around the globe.

“I’m always excited when I get called up to the National Team and especially for a match against Spain,” Micha told the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Website. “This is an important game and an incredible experience for any player, so that’s why I’m absolutely thrilled with this opportunity. I really hope that I will get some minutes and be a part of the action. Over the course of my career I’ve had some good periods where I believe that I could help out the National Team and play some minutes, but up until today it just hasn’t happened. I hope that this time I’ll get my chance.”

On the special challenge of facing Spain:

“We’re facing players that we both admire and respect, but we have to set up a boundary as to just how much we will respect them on the pitch. Once we get onto the field of play, we must focus only on ourselves and try to reach the goal that we set which is to return back to Israel with some points in hand. There’s no question that this will be a difficult task, one of the hardest that there is, but most importantly we have to give it our all and that we didn’t come here just to waste our time.”

About playing a new role at Maccabi in the center of the midfield:

“I feel good about the role, though I have to say that most matches that I played in the center of the midfield, I also went over to play on the wing as well. The coach is using me in two positions and he’s letting me play in both. I think that it’s been good for me and the Club as it gives us a number of different options and also let’s me help out in another area on the pitch.”

Other than Micha, Elisha Levy called up four other Maccabi Tel Aviv players including, Eitan Tibi, Eli Dasa, Sheran Yeini and winger Tal Ben Chaim. Other Yellow & Blue players called up to their National Teams include, Vidar Kjartansson (Iceland), Egor Filipenka (Belarus) and Predrag Rajikovic (Serbia). Iceland takes on Kosovo and Ireland, Belarus will face Sweden and Macedonia while Serbia will visit Georgia.