Just before heading out to the team’s practice, Barak Itzhaki found time to surprise a Maccabi fan who is playing at Palo Alto University in California after injuring his ankle for a second time this year. The Yellow-and-Blue striker cheered him on and encouraged him on the way to his recovery

Matan Ziv spoke to Barak Itzhaki about his injuries: “I had injured my ankle last year and had been out for four months before coming back to play in January but after playing for a couple of months I broke my ankle and now I have surgery scheduled for tomorrow. One ankle was hurt the first time and the other one now. I’m probably going to be out for a year.”

Barak Itzhaki has been through some injuries as well: “I know all about it. A lot of the injury is up in your head and sometimes you have to make sure that your head won’t play tricks on you. You have to be very strong mentally. It’s not easy because you will think about it.”

Maccabi’s#10 continued: “Sometimes during training the other players let up after one of the other guys is coming back from an injury because they are afraid to hurt him again. But in my case, I had to encourage them and tell the to play harder against me that way I could get back to being me.”

Ziv  was concerned about how he will still be a part of the club even though he won’t be around or practicing with the team and Itzhaki said that it was the toughest part.

“It’s the hardest thing to sit on the side and watch your teammate every day practicing and training. It’s not easy and it was very tough for me. But in the end everything will get back to normal as you see me now. Make sure you take care of yourself and I wish you the best of luck! YALLA Maccabi!”