Tal Ben Haim helped Maccabi Tel Aviv defeat Hapoel Tel Aviv in the first Derby of the 2016/17 season, winning 2:0 at the Moshava Stadium. Ben Haim talked about returning from injury, the upcoming European clash against Croatian outfit Hajduk Split and his feelings about brining home a victory in the Derby:

“It’s always good to win a Derby especially for the fans. We played well this evening asp do the players fought very hard. Now us time to turn our attention to Hajduk Split on Sunday.”

Returning from injury:

“I’m starting to feel better match to match and I came back from an injury when I didn’t play or trained for a number of months. This was something that I handy experienced throughout my career but I’m happy to be getting my fitness back slowly but surely. I’m happy to get a chance to play.”

Playing in Europe:

“Maccabi Tel Aviv is a Club that always wants to play in Europe, be it the Champions League or Europa League and we want to advance to the group stages especially for the Club and the fans.”

Expectations:

“When the budget is high the expectations are also high. Last year we made it back to the Champions League group stages for the first time in 11 years and I hope that we will make it into the group stages of the Europa League this season as well.”

The Radius match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Kfar Saba will take place at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem after the Club received the various permits from the relevant authorities. Seating arrangements for season ticket holders will be published on the Official Website over the course of the week.

Eyal Golasa, the Yellow & Blue’s recently acquired midfielder returned to Israel after a couple of seasons in Greece spoke on the assembled media following the match about the game itself, future Derbies, being back in Israel and playing in his first Tel Aviv Derby:

“I’m getting used to the atmosphere and of course the Derby, but most importantly is that we won.”

Returning to Israel:

“After two seasons it’s strange to be back home but it’s fun to be here in Israel again and it’s easier. I hope that I’ll be able to help out the team as much as possible this season and contribute as much as I can. I’m not looking to far ahead.”

The next task:

“The atmosphere was good and I’m happy that we won and I’m happy to give back to the supporters, now we can turn our sight’s on Thursday night’s Europa League playoff match against Hajduk Split.”

The Derby:

“We played a very strong lineup today and it’s always fun to win a Derby and we worked very hard to win this match. It may have looked easy but it definitely wasn’t. They have some good players as do we and we will all continue to get better and there will be more good Derby matchups.”

Barak Itzhaki, Maccabi’s veteran striker discussed his side’s Derby victory in the Toto Cup in Petach Tikva. The striker looked ahead to the Europa League match on Thursday night against Hajduk Split, getting knocked up a bit against Hapoel and the chance to pick up minutes and the importance of the Toto Cup:

“It’s like every Derby and there’s always plenty of screaming and yelling. It’s part of the show. We hear what the fans have to say and we don’t react.”

Proving oneself:

“Any player who gets a chance to play wants to prove himself and wants to show that he can play. Toto Cup matches are a great chance to do just that. They have a chance to show what they have to the coach and they do exactly that.”

Working with Coach Shota Arveladze:

“We have a good relationship with the coach. He knows how to be easy when he has to and tough when he has to as well. He knows how to throw out a word of encouragement also.”

Getting into game shape:

“We need to play more minutes to get into shape and the Toto Cup is a great opportunity to get those minutes. It’s a chance to show the coach what we all have.”

Rough play on the pitch:

“After 25 minutes I took a pretty hard hit and it hurt pretty badly even now. It’s part of the game and sometimes you have to take the hits.”

About Hakduk Split:

“We’ll begin learning about the club tonight or tomorrow. We prepare match to match and we don’t look to far ahead. But now is the time to start checking out our competition on Thursday night. It will be an interesting match.”

Advancing to the Europa League groups stages:

“It’s very important for us and the club. We’ve had a good start to the year both in Europe and the Toto Cup. Our goal is to advance to the group stages of the tournament.”

Shota Arveladze, the Yellow & Blue boss spoke to the media following his club’s 2:0 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv on goals by Eden Ben Basat and Yossi Benayoun. The Georgian talked about the win, his squad and the upcoming season:

“I thought the stadium would be full but it wasn’t this evening. It’s always good to win especially a Derby. We have a lot of important games coming up and it’s also good to see how strong and ready we are. Next week the season starts and every point you get is yours and any point you lose you can’t get it back.”

On the victory:

“I want to congratulate the boys. They played calm and didn’t react to incidents on the pitch. This was a win we deserved.”

The large squad:

“If the coach has a problem with a big squad that is good and it gives me many options. We have important games ahead. Everybody who comes and respects the club, we will respect them in return. Most importantly is that they respect each other. This is football, it’s a team game and we need all of them. Everyone that comes to train every day has a chance to play for Maccabi.”

Dear fans,

The Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club wants to reiterate that it condemns any racist behavior, speech and violence and it will do everything in its power to ensure that this will not take place.

We would like to remind you that the Club has a conditional penalty to lose a point should there be any type of racist behavior by the fans of the Club and we therefore ask you to refrain from racist and/or violent statements and/or references.

The Club is currently taking further measures to prevent racism and violence at matches and we would like to inform you concerning that fact. Legal action will be taken against fans who are caught including immediate expulsion from the stadium for an extended period of time.

As you may be aware, the Club has been having issues finding a stadium to open the 2016/17 Season, which is an event that should be a celebration of football for more than 10,000 fans who have purchased season tickets for the upcoming season, due to a radius penalty for throwing flares and smoke grenades by a handful of fans. This behavior affects not only the Club but all of the fans and we will take a firm stand against these violent actions.

May we all have a successful season ahead,
Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club

Yuval Shpungin, the Yellow & Blue defender is getting ready of the Toto Cup Derby this evening at the Moshava Stadium against Hapoel Tel Aviv. The right back spoke about this evening’s Derby, his fitness, training under coach Arveladze and coming back from injury:

“I’m back after a long time due to an injury, but I’m getting back into shape by training and I feel good. It’s been tough but now I’m back and I have to prove to the coach that I belong on the pitch”

Practices under new coach Shota Arveladze:

“They’ve been very good and are at a very high level. We are working hard together and improving but we still have plenty to of work to do to get to where we want to be.”

Current fitness status:

“I still have a way to go but I’m working hard and many of the players are already in match shape which means I have to work even harder to get my fitness level back to normal.”

The whole squad is getting a chance to play:

“We’re beginning to play more important games and it’s good that we’ve been able to do what we’ve needed to in the matches that we’ve already had. Many of the players have had a chance to play and pick up minutes but now we have to keep moving along and win the contests ahead.”

Tonight’s Derby:

“Of course we have plenty of motivation and it’s a Derby so there’s no question that we want to win and it doesn’t matter that we’ve already advanced to the next stage of the Toto Cup. All of the players want to prove that they belong on the pitch and we all have to make sure we do our best this evening.”

This evening, Maccabi Tel Aviv will take on Hapoel Tel Aviv in the season’s first Derby. Just prior to the opening whistle at the Moshava Stadium, here’s a number of interesting statistics from past Toto Cup Derbies.

18 – Official matches have taken place between Maccabi and Hapoel in the Toto Cup competition. This is the opponent that the Yellow & Blue has faced most often in the tournament amongst the 26 other teams that they have played. What is the record between the clubs? Check out the next fact.

10 – Victories that the Yellow & Blue have recorded in the Toto Cup Derby. Hapoel have won 5 encounters and three more ended in a draw.

1992/93 – Maccabi picked up its largest margin of victory in the Toto Cup Derby when they defeated the Reds 3:0 on goals by Eli Drikes and Meir Melika with a brace.

1 – Derby ended in a technical victory for Maccabi and it occurred in the 2010/11 contest. The Yellow & Blue recorded a 3:0 technical win over Hapoel due to having an ineligible player.

7 – Appearances Avi Nimni made for the Yellow & Blue, the most in the Toto Cup Derby. He has also scored the most goals in matchups between the teams with 3.

17 – Years old was the age of Haim Hadjaj when he made his Derby debut and was the youngest player to appear in the Toto Cup Derby. The oldest player happens to be Shura Uvarov who took part in the 1998/99 Derby, 3 days after celebrating his 39th birthday.

16 – Matches between the clubs were in the group stages of the competition while only two games were in the semifinals, in 1991/92 & 2008/09 each being won by Maccabi by the score of 1:0.

2 – There were two comebacks in the Toto Cup Derby. Back in 1998/99 Maccabi was down 1:0 but ended up winning 2:1 on goals by Glam and Kubica and last year Igiebor, Zahavi and Ben Chaim helped the Yellow & Blue to a 3:1 win overturning a 1:0 deficit early on.

137,000 – The all-time attendance at the 18 Toto Cup Derbies for an average of 7,600 spectators per match. This is the highest amount of all 332 Toto Cup contests.

This will be the first Derby to take place at the Moshava Stadium. The last Tel Aviv Derby to take place in Petach Tikva was the 1934 State Cup Derby that was held in the old Petach Tikva Stadium.