Today marks 13 years since Maccabi's star defender Menni Levi collapsed tragically on the playing field at the start of a match
Exactly thirteen years ago, on January 26th 2002, occurred one of the greatest tragedies ever to be suffered by Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. It took place at "Teddy" Stadium in Jerusalem in a match between Maccabi and Beitar, when suddenly in the ninth minute of play Maccabi's much admired defender Menni Levi collapsed on the pitch. After long minutes of treatment at the stadium, Levi was taken to hospital and the match was abandoned. Levi remained for the next three years at the Beit Levinstein Rehabilitation Centre in Ra'anana, but showing no signs of recovery was finally released to the care of his family.
Menni Levi came up through the ranks of the youth system at Maccabi Tel Aviv and played in various positions – striker, attacking midfielder and right back, the position he settled into as a member of the first team squad. He also played for Israeli national teams in various youth categories, including the national Under-21 squad. His first senior team appearance was in the 1999/2000 season when he came on as a substitute against Hapoel Haifa in matchweek 18. Levy appeared in four more fixtures that year, including in the starting eleven at the penultimate match of the season. In the following year and a half, Levi played in 38 matches in all competitions, scoring two goals and winning with the club the coveted State Cup in the 2000/01 season.
Menni Levi will forever remain in the thoughts and hearts of the entire Maccabi Tel Aviv family.
