The meeting beween Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be’er Sheva produced an intense match which ended in a 1-1 draw that divided the points between the two teams. Gael Margoulis who played a full 90 minutes shared his views on the match:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYI_gFf3SU

“I cannot say we are happy with the way we played because we can do much better. We are not pleased with the fact we didn’t win, but at least we got ourselves an important point in a difficult away match and kept a safe gap from our opponents. I really hope we will seal the championship next week. Personally I am glad I got to play a full game again”.

The young striker commented on the State Cup final that will bring the two sides together for the last time this season:

“We are not thinking about the final right now. First we need to focus on our home game against Kiryat Shmona and only then we’ll start to think about the final”.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will travel tomorrow (Monday, 8:55pm) to Vasermil Stadium to face Hapoel Be’er Sheva for a match that could potentially decide the league title. We caught up with former player Gadi Brumer, who already played on this stage in Vasermil.

Vasermil Stadium will host tomorrow (Monday, 8:55pm) a heavyweight battle between Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv. The game tomorrow will have real implications on the title race, which is in its final stage. We spoke with someone who has won a few big games, especially in Vasermil.

“The first thought that runs through my head when I think about Vasermil is 1994/95 season”, recalls Maccabi’s former striker Alon Brumer. “ We were neck in neck with Maccabi Haifa that season. We arrive to the game in Be’er Sheva when we did not depend on other scores. I will never forget the goal I scored there. We had a free kick that was taken by Nir Klinger. I remember I jumped very high and instinctively headed the ball to the far corner. It turned out that the goal won us the league. During the game you never think if you goal is the winner, you just concentrate on the game. It was a very difficult game, and I think that until then Hapoel Be’er Sheva was undefeated at home, so our task was very hard and the goal helped us to succeed”.

While Brumer is reminiscing on the moments during the game, he also has vivid memories of what he saw on the way to Be’er Sheva. “I remember yellow conveys on the ride to Be’er Sheva. The road was colored in yellow and fans were pulling on the side of the roads to celebrate. It was an amazing experience. The sight of ten thousand Maccabi fans coloring Vasermil was incredible. The crowd was surrounding the pitch before the referee could call for the end of the game. There was a huge celebration and that fans grabbed anything they could get. We ended up with our underwear on!”

Brumer sheds some light on the preparation for the game from his personal: “As a player you do a regular preparation, although there is a lot on stake. Every player hopes to have such a game in his career. The bonus for all the hard work you’ve done all season is the victory. Back then all the tensions and emotions were released during the celebrations in Vasermil”.

While Paulo Sousa led his team to win the championship last year in Vasermil, Alon traveled to Vasermil again, this time to watch it from the stands alongside his brother Gadi, and with thousands of Maccabi’s fans in the stands:

“I had a great experience when I drove with Gadi (Brumer) to Vasermil last year. All of a sudden you get to experience that day as a fan, and the rest of the supporters gave us an amazing feeling at the stands. It is an experience I will never forget. I think that the Maccabi’s players are very unified this season. They know what they want to achieve. Be’er Sheva is a good team, but it is in Maccabi’s hands. “ 

We caught the Swedish striker shortly before the team departed south, ahead of tonight's important match against Hapoel Be'er Sheva (Vasermil, 20:55)

Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Hapoel Be’er Sheva for a difficult away game that will have a massive impact on the title race. The away clashes between Maccabi and the southern team have become more difficult in the past two seasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZTdMA1ym10

“We know what to do”, said the Swedish striker, Rade Prica. “If we won't win we will have another cup final next week, we need to be completely focused in order to win this match”.

Prica recalls his first game in Israel two years ago, which happened to be against Hapoel Be’er Sheva as well. “I remember that game. We won 5-0 with a really good performance. I will settle for a smaller victory today. Hapoel Be’er Sheva is a tough place to play in. They are a good side and they’ll do anything they can to beat us. It’s like a cup final. Nothing is over yet and we know it. People have already crowned us champions but there are four games left and lots of points to play for”.

Hapoel Be'ersheva FC increased the allocation to Maccabi’s visiting fans by an additional 1,500 tickets for Monday’s match (Kickoff at 20:55).

The additional 1500 tickets (Gate 9) can be purchased online through Le'ean website, by phone at *8780 or at Le'ean ticket office at 101 Dizengoff street. Tel Aviv. 

*Due to the conditions at 'Vassermil' stadium, we recommend fans collect their tickets at 'Leaan' offices by Monday at 13:00.
 

 

So far three matches have been played this season between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be'er sheva, two of them ended in a win for each side and one draw. The most important encounter between the two teams will take place in Vassermil Stadium (Monday, 20:55)  and might decide the identity of the upcoming champions. Pako Ayestaran spoke of the next game and the statistics against Hapoel Be'er Sheva:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOZRoGknbZo

"The statistics is history. We will need to wait and see what the future holds for us tomorrow. It is true the Kiryat Shmona is still in the race because mathematically they have the possibility to win. I don’t pay any attention to other teams results because I cannot have any effect there.

I am aware of the statistics in our away games but I don’t find it disturbing because I don’t find any special reason for that, except maybe games we took the foot of the gas.

I believe each season is different from one another, and I only compare my team from when I started training them up to today. I truly believe that in the end of the season the players will end up as better players, and I had a little part in that. I don’t think people have the right attitude towards Maccabi's achievements".

Regarding the rumors of some players future, Coach Pako said: "I only care that they are available for me until the end of the season".

 

The 201415 Season is at its final stage, tomorrow Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Hapoel Be'ersheva in 'Vassermil' Stadium. Gal Alberman spoke about the upcoming match: "Coach Pako mentioned it, and I can also testify that the players are not busy calculating the point margin. What we do speak about, is on the things we need to do on the pitch tomorrow evening in order to win and seal the championship title again. We don’t think about the next against Kiryat Shmona and especially not on the fact that Eran Zahavi and I will not be available. As long as we keep doing our part, we don’t have to think of our opponents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOZRoGknbZo

Regarding the State Cup final said the midfielder: "We don’t think of the final. As I said, we think only of the next match".Honestly, I don’t think it is right to compare our team from one season to another. Winning a third consecutive league championship is not an easy target, but it is a target we set to ourselves at the beginning of the season.

 

The ticket sale for the game against Hapoel Be'er Sheva at 'Vasermil' Stadium is still available. Further information will be announced soon

This evening Maccabi Tel Aviv hosted its Gala event for the 2014/15 season at the Trask Tel Aviv, starting a tradition to showcase its core values and vision

Around 400 guests attended the event at the Tel Aviv port. The club initiated this exclusive Gala evening in order to honour its history, strengthen the present and to build the future. Notable former players such as, Avi Nimni, Gadi Brumer, Eli Driks, Bonni Ginzburg, Zvika Rozen, Vicky Peretz and Dror Bar-Nur attended the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSzoIzyfGhE

Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO, Martin Bain, started the event by announcing the club’s latest partnership with UNICEF, a partnership tying Maccabi Tel Aviv with some of the most prestigious football clubs in Europe already affiliated with the UNICEF group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxeW2dzuK8g

Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO, Mr. Martin Bain: “Football clubs vary in size and culture but in my opinion what makes a great football club truly unique is one which values its history, honors its great players, and legends of the past, celebrates former glories and uses that platform to celebrate the present”.

Furthermore, Martin Bain indicated that the club's vision to leverage itself not only commercially, but also socially, by contributing to the local communities through an academy and youth programs. From now on, together with UNICEF organization, the club will support the children of Israel and the rest of the world.

Mr. Bain shared another piece of news, in regards to the team’s pre-season plans this summer. Like many elite European clubs, Maccabi Tel Aviv will also venture to the United States as part of its preparation for the next season. The team is expected to stay in New York and to play exhibition games against the city’s three teams, the New York Red Bulls, NYCFC and the New York Cosmos. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mikhSEaWh8

UNICEF Israel CEO, Mr. Jonny Cline, said that he had already received an autographed jersey from the Maccabi Tel Aviv players with the UNICEF logo printed on it. He added "Firstly, UNICEF Israel is proud of its achievement bringing Team UNICEF to Israel. Secondly, I believe that our partnership with Maccabi Tel Aviv is an astonishing one, promoting both the club's core values as well as our own. We are thrilled to promote these values among the children of Israel and the entire world".

Maccabi Tel Aviv players, who also attended the Gala evening, headed by Sports Director Jordi Cryuff and Head Coach Pako Ayestaran will be wearing the UNICEF logo on their jerseys as from their next game against Maccabi Haifa.

An auction and a raffle also took place during the Gala evening raising more than 355,000 NIS which will be donated for UNICEF’s project for Israeli children.

The first item in the public auction was a framed championship jersey from 2012/13 season. This limited edition item was signed by all players and sold for 20,000 NIS. The second item was the football boot that Eran Zehavi wore while scoring his bicycle kick against Beitar Jerusalem was sold for 24,000 NIS. The third was an exclusive dinner with two Maccabi players at ‘The Place for Meat’ was sold for 8,000 NIS. Players Sheran Yeini, Eran Zehavi and Barak Itzhaki offered to auction the item for a second round, after winning it the first time around for 21,000 NIS.

The fourth item was a vacation package for two, including a trip to a European away game and a stay with the team was sold for 10,500 USD. The fifth item was a home game VIP package was sold for 3,000 NIS. The highest paid item in the auction was a trip to the Spanish Super El Clasico, including a meet and great with the players, was sold for 12,000 Euros. 

In addition, the club presented its annual awards to the players, a special committee including Gideon Brickman, team manager Benny Tabak and former players Bonni Ginzburg and Eli Driks was formed in order to select the winners.

The first category, presented by former Maccabi player Viki Peretz, was the “Youth Team Goal of the Year” was sponsored by Profit. The winner was Yonatan Cohen.

The second category, presented by former Maccabi player Gadi Brumer, was the “Rookie of the Year” award sponsored by Italy Gold. The winner was Dor Peretz.

The third category, presented by former Maccabi player Eli Driks, was the “Most Valuable Player” award sponsored by "Fritz". The winner was the team's captain Sheran Yeini.

The fourth category, presented by former Maccabi player Avi Nimni, was the “Goal of the Season” award sponsored by "Kopell Group". The winner was Eran Zahavi.

In the fifth and last category, presented by former Maccabi player Tzvika Rosen, was the “Players' Player of the Year” award sponsored by Eurodrive. The winner was yet again 

Eran Zahavi. When receiving the award Eran Zahavi said: “I thank my team mates for choosing me, I couldn't have done it without you”.

In addition to the awards given to the players, there was an exceptionally emotional moment, as Yehuda Livne was granted a “Life Achievement” award sponsored by 'Yam Agodaiev' and Dorit Cohen, the widow of former Maccabi player Avi Cohen. Livne has been responsible for coaching and upbringing some of the clubs greatest players in the last 50 years. Currently, Yehuda Livne continues to train and groom the next generation of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Livne received the award from the team's Captain Sheran Yeini, was very moved by the award, and said: "I have been part of Maccabi for over 60 years, and now I want to thank all of you for your support. I would like to thank Nir Levin and Ariel Avram for their work in the Youth department during the past few years. I can only ask for one thing, to see Maccabi Tel Aviv playing in its own stadium".

 

 

 

 

Our main intention was to give Maccabi Tel Aviv season ticket holders first priority to purchase tickets to the State Cup Final. This was, unfortunately, not possible due various factors including the tight schedule as a result of demand of the IFA to sell the tickets as soon they were issued.

This is not the ideal way that we, as Maccabi Tel Aviv would opt to sell tickets, but we will do all that we can to ensure that in future there will be a more justified distribution of tickets between season ticket holders and people who want to purchase a ticket to a single game.

At present the club is working on setting up a CRM system and a digital database to make sure that situations such as these will not reoccur.

We will take every measure to ensure that additional tickets will be made available to our season ticket holders.