At a pre-match press conference, Eran Zahavi opened up his heart: "No-one has the courage to turn around my red card"
Tonight Maccabi Tel Aviv held a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday night's match at Bloomfield Stadium against Maccabi Netanya. Attending the press conference was midfielder Eran Zahavi, who used the opportunity to say what he felt in his heart: "The truth is, I feel just fine, I'm getting so much support from the club, from my team-mates and especially from the fans. And I want to make it clear, it's not just Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, I get messages from the fans of other clubs as well, even from Hapoel Tel Aviv. I just hope this whole story will blow over quickly so we can all get back to focusing on football".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZUOGxFhTp0&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
"I don't feel threatened, I'm fine, and what happened, well, you all saw it. It was completely daft and I really hope someone will get that sorted because so far I haven't had the feeling anyone has even got started. All I see are committees, just talk, nobody really doing anything. For one thing, I haven't seen my red card cancelled, no-one has had the courage to stand up and say we were wrong and the red card is annulled, because at the end of the day what they've done here is reward a fan for doing something absolutely unforgivable, attacking a player. Of course they condemned him in the media but I haven't seen anyone do anything about it, like lifting that red card and letting me play against Netanya. If there's any reason I shouldn't play it's because that's what the coach thinks".
"I would have expected when something like that happens, and I mean a red line was crossed here, it was clearly over the limit, I would have thought that someone from the football association would take my side but they didn't. That someone would challenge whatever regulation that is, the one that says that maybe I should have run away, or let the geezer smack me one and go lay down on the ground or something. I mean have any of them been in a situation where they get attacked at the workplace? So how can they go judging me for how I reacted? And mind you, I think I showed a lot of restraint. Some fan going after me again and again and I'm holding back from giving him as good as he gave, I mean that's what I should be judged for. So far I'm concerned, the minute someone gets out on the pitch and starts attacking me, that's it, the game's over. I remember in Ashdod once they threw a sign at one of the linesman that grazed his leg, and that was it, the match was cancelled and Ashdod were punished right and proper And just because it's me it's okay? Everybody's after me instead of what's really important, that some fan got out on the pitch and attacked a player. That's what they should be looking into, not that other stuff".
"And what's all this fixation with how I celebrate my goals? If the fans come to a match drunk, you just look at how they spat at me when I took that corner, and that was before the attack. I only celebrated after I scored and I'll carry on as long as I please. People want to see me playing for Israel and I have no intention of giving up my dreams. I was with the team in Cyprus, 100 degrees it was, but I wouldn't have agreed not to play, but now nobody's prepared to get behind me. I just think people should be raising their voices. Danny Amos came into the room and wanted to apologise, a real sportsman, but none of the other Hapoel Tel Aviv players would even talk to me and I wouldn't expect them to either. I'm not going to reward any fan by going off to play abroad. I'll only do that if I get a good enough offer. Never gave the matter a moment's thought".
"I don't know what they'll do with that fan and I don't care what he gets, I want the rules to change so that if a fan invades the pitch and attacks a player the game stops. I still have my red card, would it have made a difference if he'd have had a knife in his hand? The change has to come now because if not it's like a stamp of approval for attacking players. He shouldn't be allowed to appear in public and play the hero. When I first saw him I was surprised but then I recognised him and when some guy comes at you drunk you have to defend yourself. I mean, how is it possible that my team-mates arrived before the security guards? I want to say thank you to my team-mates, after I saw the video I felt really proud to be playing on this team. And I want to thank the club too for supporting me 100% and giving me the best possible conditions. Everybody's supporting me and that's all I'm thinking about".
Maccabi head coach Pako Ayesteran echoed Zahavi's sentiments that having him serve out a suspension for his dismissal would be tantamount to rewarding the attacker, giving the offender just what he wanted. He expressed the belief that whatever happened now was out of the team's hands and that the incident would eventually be forgotten and only make the team stronger in the long run. He assured the midfielder that the whole team supports him, players, coaches and club, and that's what's really important. He recalled a similar incident at a match between Dutch sides Ajax and Alkmaar and it was decided to replay the contest, so it's better to wait and see. He asked that the incident should be forgotten already so the team can look ahead.
As for the game on Sunday against Maccabi Netanya, the coach expressed confidence that the team would be fully prepared, repeating what he's said in the past that the two teams' relative places in the table are not so important and that you can always wind up being your own worst enemy. Fully focused and playing like they have in their last few games, the Spaniard felt his team should have enough in them to win. He also said he didn't feel the incident at the derby was having much influence on the players, referring to yesterday's successful practice where the team looked strong, focused on the match and confident they are capable of beating any opponent.
