Maccabi Tel Aviv will return tomorrow to center stage in the Israeli Premier ("Winner") League second round play-off campaign as they face Maccabi Haifa for an 8.55pm kick-off at Sami Ofer Stadium. Head coach Pako Ayestaran will have a nearly complete squad at his disposal, with only midfielder Gili Vermouth and Barak Itzhaki missing.
At the customary pre-match press conference, the Spaniard was asked about the previous State Cup match: "I admit that I didn’t like the way we played at the Semi Final. We took responsibility and tried to fix the defects that we spotted. In the first half were had trouble moving the ball at the back, but it is something we know that can happen in Football".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7OOwCwFSs
Regarding meeting Haifa for the fifth time: "Even after you play five times against a team, you can surprise them, but it is not the way Maccabi plays. We don’t change our gameplay by the opponent were facing. At the previous game, they did some inner changes and we will be prepared for that. It is true that the two clubs are rivals, but we must remember to honor the other side".
Regarding his future at the club said Pako: "I love my work here at Maccabi, but I am focused on the present. April was a month that I was pleased with 80 percent of our games, and that is what's important to me".
