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Year Founded: 1936

Stadium: Teddy (34,000)

Head Coach: Slobodan Drapic

The Serbian coach arrived in Israel during the mid-1980’s and played until 1995 when he retired with Maccabi Netanya. Drapic became an Israeli citizen and had one appearance for the Israel National Team. He became an assistant coach under Roni Levy with Maccabi Netanya and Maccabi Haifa and began his head coaching career in 2008, becoming head coach of Beitar Jerusalem at the start of the current campaign.

פרומו: המפגשים האחרונים נגד בית”ר י-ם

Players who left: Ben Rahav, Shmulik Melul, Cesar Arzo, Ze’ev Haimowitz, Ofir Kriaf, Liviu Antal, Hanan Maman, Tomer Suissa.

Players who arrived: Jesus Rueda, Dan Einbinder, Nikita Rukavytsya, Uri Magbo, Daniel Askling, Niso Kapiloto, Pablo De Lucas, Nes Zamir, Liroy Zairi, Dovev Gabbay, Elad Gabbay, Snir Mishan

Key player: Omer Atziliunnamed

The young midfielder joined Beitar two seasons ago and is unquestionably the most important player in Drapic’s arsenal. Atzili’s statistics since the start of the year, which include three goals and two assists over seven Matchdays prove that he is Jerusalem’s go-to-guy. The offensive minded midfielder is quick on the ball with an excellent first touch and dribble and has a very dangerous quick and blistering shot that can put fear into any ‘keeper.

Past encounters: Last year’s matches between Pako Ayestaran’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem were fascinating to say the least. The sides played each other four times with the first two games being played at Sammy Ofer Stadium due to radius punishments. The first match ended in a dramatic draw as Eran Zahavi’s scissors kick was cancelled out by Omer Atzili’s header with the second game in Haifa ending in a Maccabi loss on another Atzili goal. Next it was a return to Bloomfield Stadium where Dor Micha would score the first brace of his career and help the Yellow-and-Blue to a crushing 4:1. Lastly, less than a week after Maccabi won the Israel State Cup and wrapped up the historic Treble, Beitar had the upper hand in a 3:0 win at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.