Maccabi's talented young defender Dor Peretz is getting ready for Hapoel Petach Tikva and enjoying every minute of his time with the seniors: "Being in the rotation is fantastic"
Earlier in the season, Dor Peretz featured in both legs of Maccabi's "Toto" (League) group stage tie against his older brother Reef, now on loan at Hapoel Petach Tikva. On Saturday the two teams will meet again in the final encounter of the first round of Israeli Premier ("Winner") League fixtures and the younger brother is now getting ready for an additional contest with his older brother's team: "The atmosphere at home is heating up", the young defender joked, before adding a more serious note: "For both of us it's business as usual. I'm actually hoping we will play against one another because that would be a very emotional experience. When we're out there on the pitch, we're both athletes top to bottom. Off the pitch we're brothers".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOqzmiulUxQ&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
Last summer, Dor made the leap from the Under-19s straight into the senior team for Maccabi's "Toto" Cup ties and has since made six further league appearances for his side. "To be part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv rotation is fantastic, every game I get to be in the squad or on the pitch is a gift. I really value every minute and devote all my time to working and improving myself in every match and at every practice".
Quite apart from the enticing possibility that the two Peretz brothers will battle it out with one another in Saturday's encounter with Hapoel Petach Tikva, Dor is well aware of the pitfalls of such a seemingly "straightforward" contest: "In this league the differences between the teams at the top, the middle and the bottom of the table are not significant. Every fixture represents a challenge and we have to be fully prepared and sparkle on the pitch".
