With the team's league title less than a day old, the Maccabi Tel Aviv website staff breathe a sigh of relief and look back on the season that was
"When I think back on this season I remember matchweek 1. It took Barak Itzhaki and Eran Zahavi seven minutes, or to be more precise six minutes and six seconds, to tear apart the Hapoel Acre defences and leave us with the feeling that in fact, last season had never really ended at all. When I think back on this season I remember the 86th minute against Bnei Yehuda, moments after Mahran Radi hit keeper Dele Aiyenugba's post, and we thought, that's it, the Bnei Yehuda curse is still upon us. And then, in injury time, came Rade Prica's winner ".
"When I think back on this season I remember Juan Pablo saving an excellent chance by striker Dino Ndlovu and ten seconds later seeing Rade Prica strike one into the Maccabi Haifa net. And Dor Micha's back heel to Tal Ben Haim, who slammed the ball past keeper Guy Haimov to make it an emphatic 3-0 against Ironi Kiryat Shmona. And while we're on the subject, how can we not recall the surface-to-air missile of Nicola Mitrovitc that rattled the cage of Bnei Sakhnin. Who can forget that moment when he definitively won the hearts of the Maccabi Tel Aviv faithfull".
"When I think back on this season I remember Hapoel Haifa away, how Omri Ben Harush and Barak Itzhaki (a debatable penalty) turned the match around. But what will always stick in my mind is the third goal, Tal Ben Haim's chip over keeper Dreshler Kale's head, and how he ran to celebrate with the Maccabi fans at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium. And staying with celebrations, I remember Barak Itzhaki's goal against Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium, how he refrained from celebrating in front of his former club, just a week before Eran Zahavi did just that against Hapoel Tel Aviv. But what more can be added about goal celebrations that hasn't already been said? Even Itzhaki's overhead jewel against Maccabi Haifa".
"When I think back on this season I remember how Rade Prica ended three months of anticipation for the first 'match of the season' against Hapoel Beer Sheva with a goal after just two-and-a-half minutes. And how Tal Ben Haim tore up the flanks against the same Hapoel Beer Sheva in the second 'match of the season' and assisted Barak Badash to score in the first minute with his 'heart', as he would later tell reporters who suggested he had used his arm. I also remember the season's second derby and Hapoel Tel Aviv striker Omar Damari celebrating his second goal two minutes from time. And how a month later Mahran Radi missed a penalty against Maccabi Haifa at precisely the same stage of a match. And how much we've grown to love injury time winners".
"When I think back on this season I remember today, tonight, the ref's final whistle.
"I swell with pride, satisfaction, joy".
"And that's all I can think about".
