Maccabi will continue its European campaign tomorrow (Thursday, 21:00) with a tough trip to Sofia’s Vasil Levski National Stadium where they face local side CSKA Sofia a week after suffering a 0-3 defeat in Batumi.

Earlier this morning, the team held its final training session at the Kiryat Shalom training complex. Following the session, the players and staff headed to Ben Gurion Airport, from where the team departed for Sofia ahead of the match.

In order to keep their chances of advancing through and facing OFI Crete in the Europa league Play-off, Maccabi will aim to cancel the 0-3 deficit from the first leg and do so in front of around 25,000 home fans. In the event of elimination Maccabi will continue the journey in the Conference League Play-off where they will face the winner of the tie between Swiss side FC Lugano and NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands.

The team will arrive in the Bulgarian capital later today and complete its preparations for the match

Maccabi Tel Aviv return to domestic action on Sunday August 16th with a trip to the Miriam stadium where to face Maccabi Netanya for the Semi Final of the Toto Cup (20:00). The winner will advance to the Toto Cup Final and will meet the winner between Hapoel Kiryat Shmona and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Maccabi suffered a disappointing 0-3 defeat in tonight’s first leg against CSKA Sofia, but inside the dressing room there is no intention of giving up ahead of next week’s decisive return leg in Bulgaria. The 25-year-old midfielder shared his thoughts after the final whistle and stressed the players’ belief in their ability to turn things around.

 

“Like Kenny Miller said at the end, this is still far from over, even though we’ve left ourselves a mountain to climb,” Noy began. “Tonight’s result is definitely not what we wanted. We know very well that we’re capable of much, much more than what we showed on the pitch.”
Noy expressed his confidence at Maccabi’s ability ahead of next week’s return leg: “Of course we still believe. This tie is far from over and we’ll have to be at our best next week.”
Tonight’s match in Batumi was played in an almost completely empty stadium, but next week in Sofia Maccabi will face a completely different atmosphere, with the stadium expected to be full. Noy addressed the challenge awaiting the team: “It certainly wasn’t easy playing here today with an almost empty stadium. In Sofia it will be completely different, with an almost full stadium. We’re fully aware that we’ll be facing a very difficult ground and a very challenging atmosphere.”
Finally, the midfielder added: “Despite everything, I know very well what we’re capable of doing as a team. I know that what we did today was a long way from what we’re truly capable of, but I genuinely believe that we can go there next week and get a good result.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a disappointing defeat to CSKA Sofia this evening in the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round. Head coach Kenny Miller shared his thoughts after the match and highlighted the objectives ahead of next week’s decisive return leg.

 

“This tie is still far from over, but the goal we conceded at the end certainly makes the challenge bigger,” Miller said after the final whistle. “There were good things throughout the game, but there were also a lot of bad things. Once again, we didn’t win our individual battles, which is the ‘dirty’ side of football, and we were too slow getting back when we gave the ball away cheaply. I felt we lost possession too many times even when we weren’t under any pressure, like with the third goal, which came from a simple forward pass and a counter-attack. We were too open in those moments, and that’s something that hadn’t characterised us at the start of the season.”
The coach continued by explaining what will be required next week: “We’ll have to be much better next week. In the second half we saw that CSKA sat back and waited for those moments to hurt us, and they’re good at that. We’ll have to make sure we don’t allow them so many opportunities like that, get back quicker and harder, and be much sharper in front of goal. We should have been 2-0 up after four minutes. We know we’ll create chances, but in those situations we have to be much more clinical in front of goal.”
Miller was asked whether he had been surprised by the Bulgarian side’s style of play and replied: “We weren’t surprised at all. It was exactly the same team we saw in their two matches against Qarabağ. They work hard, defend well and don’t give much away. In games like these, goals change everything and you have to know how to take your chances. Tonight CSKA took their moments extremely well, while we didn’t show the best version of ourselves.”
The match was played behind closed doors at an empty stadium in Batumi, and Miller addressed the effect that had on the game: “It’s never easy playing without supporters in the stands, but it’s the same situation for both teams. We still have to bring the energy, tempo and intensity to the game and push each other. The staff on the touchline try to help and push as much as possible, but on the pitch the players have to help their teammates. It’s not ideal, but it’s not an excuse that should affect our performance. For long periods we were in control, but when we lost possession, the goals we conceded were simply very poor.”
Finally, the coach was asked whether the fact that the Bulgarian league season had already begun gave the opposition an advantage in terms of match fitness and stability.
“It’s natural that players who are already six or seven games into their season will have a better rhythm, but it hadn’t affected us until now. We came into this after three very strong performances and excellent results at the start of the season, so that’s not an excuse. Football is decided by moments. We had two huge chances at the start of the game and didn’t take them, and then conceded from their very first attack. The goal we conceded on the counter-attack in the final minute gives us a mountain to climb in the return leg, but next week we’ll come with a better approach and take it step by step, goal by goal.”

Preview:
A week after securing qualification with a victory over Sheriff Tiraspol, Maccabi returned to the stadium in Batumi for the first leg of the EUROPA League third qualifying round against CSKA Sofia.
Kenny Miller, welcomed into the squad new signing Ester Sokler but is missing both his full-backs Sagiv Jehezkel and Roy Revivo who didn’t travel.
As a result, Itai Ben Hamo started at right back while Shahar Rosen, started at left-back. The 23-year-old grandson of former Maccabi legend Zvika Rosen was handed his debut and start and European debut. Raz Shlomo and Ali Camara lined-up as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Ofek Melika to complete Maccabi’s back-four.
Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role was joined by Itamar Noy and Ido Shahar in Maccabi’s midfield engine room. Dor Peretz led the team out with the captain’s armband as the 31-year-old was position in a slight more attacking role. Helio Varela was named by Miller on the flank supplying the width to Maccabi’s formation and hopefully some ammunition to Saied Abu Farchi who led the line. On the bench alongside goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Miller, named Tyrese Asante, Ster Sokler, Kervin Andrade, Dan Glazer, Elad Madmon, Noam Ben Harosh, Ori Azo, Noam Schwartz, Lotem Asres, Ilay Ben Simon and Osher Davida.

First half:
Maccabi started the game well and could have had a perfect start inside the opening minute. Saied Abu Farchi carved the visitors’ defense with a perfect diagioal through ball to Helio Varela who found space down the right. The Cape Verde winger sent a low cross into the path of Dor Peretz who was let down by his touch allowing CSKA Sofia to clear. A minute later at the opposite end, Leandro Godoy found himself inside the box but Ali Camara blocked the striker’s shot. In the ninth minute however the visitors capitalized on a misplaced Itai Ben Hamo pass before Godoy broke forward squared to Maks Ebong whose accurate shot beat Ofek Melika. In the 18th minute Maccabi were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area after Ido Shahar was fouled by Bruno Jordao who was consequently booked. Despite the tempting position to have an attempt on goal, Maccabi’s attempt of a free kick was blocked by the wall. CSKA doubled their lead just before the half hour mark as Maccabi’s attempt to clear a corner fell to Godoy’s whose powerful volley beat Melika to make it 0-2.

 Maccabi’s defense was exposed once again in the 42nd minute this time by Ioannis Pittas who found himself infront of Melika but Maccabi’s keeper got the upper hand and saved the shot.

 The halftime whistle sent both teams to regroup in the dressing rooms as Maccabi will try and get back into the game.

 

Six minutes after the restart Asante tried his luck with a long range effort which cleared the crossbar. In the 58th minute the Dutch defender delivered a dangerous cross which didn’t find a teammate as the ball crept wide of the post.

 A minute after the hour mark Peretz met an Ido Shahar corner with a header which missed the target.

 Miller made another double substitution on 66 as Ester Sokler was handed his Maccabi debut replacing Abu Farchi while Osher Davida came on for Shahar.

 In the 76th Miller made his fifth and final change on the night as Elad Madmon replaced Helio Varela. Less than a minute after his introduction, Madmon should have cut the deficit at the end of a spectacular team effort. Issouf Sissokho lifted the ball over the Bulgarians’ defense before Sokler nodded in down for Madmon. With his first touch since coming on, the 22-year-old forward somehow managed to hook the ball over the crossbar right from the goalmouth.

 In the 90th minute CSKA added a third as Joel Zwarts was given the time and space to carry the ball near Maccabi’s penalty area before curling a left foot shot which game Melika no chance. Inside injury time Sofia’s keeper Fedor Lapoukhov managed to punch away an Asante flick following Davida’s free kick to ensure Maccabi will have a three goal deficit for the return leg next week.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will play the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round tomorrow (Thursday) when they host CSKA Sofia at the stadium in Batumi.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Head Coach Kenny Miller discussed the Bulgarian side and the unusual conditions of playing a home match behind closed doors. “I think they’re a tough opponent that came through a very difficult tie against Qarabağ in the previous round,” Miller said. “They’re a team that works extremely hard for one another, with a very strong defence that doesn’t give away much. It will be a difficult game for us, but we’ve prepared well, watched their matches, and we’ll be ready for the challenge CSKA will present tomorrow evening.”

Asked about the opposition’s key players, Miller replied: “Their striker works incredibly hard and is always a threat, but I believe CSKA’s real strength is their collective. They’re a strong unit, and within that they also have some very good individual players. It’s up to us to make sure they don’t get the rewards they’re looking for over these two matches.”

Tomorrow’s game will be played behind closed doors, as Miller acknowledged the absence of fans: “It’s definitely a loss. The stadium won’t have the energy that comes with a full crowd. It creates different challenges, and it will be up to us as a team, the players and the staff, to bring the energy ourselves and raise the tempo to the levels we’re used to. Our objective in Europe this season is, first and foremost, to reach the league phase, and to do that we have to get past CSKA Sofia and take the next step.”

UEFA has informed Maccabi Tel Aviv FC of its decision to impose a EUR 40,000 fine and require the Club to play its next UEFA home match behind closed doors following the Europa League second qualifying round home match against Sheriff Tiraspol in Batumi last week.

As a result, our Europa League third qualifying round first leg against CSKA Sofia on Thursday August 6th in Batumi will be played behind closed doors.

The Club will implement the decision accordingly.

We urge all fans to respect the rules which have apply to all clubs playing in Europe and to understand the consequences of failing to adhere to the rules. This means that fans do not have the opportunity to attend the matches, the club loses the advantage of having support at these matches and the fines significantly affect the ability of the club to support future fan events.

Kristijan Belic underwent successful surgery today to stabilize the fractured metatarsal in his foot. The procedure was performed at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) by Maccabi Team Doctor, Dr. Dror Lindner.

The 25-year-old Serbian midfielder will now begin his rehabilitation under the supervision of the club’s medical and physical staff.

Everyone at Maccabi wishes Kristijan a full and speedy recovery.