Maccabi Tel Aviv could secure a EUROPA League group stage berth for the fifth time in the club’s history as the face TSC Backa Topla for the return leg of the Playoff tomorrow (Thursday).
Zarko Lazetic’s side, that landed in Belgrade yesterday and are preparing for the match at the Serbian National Teams complex in Stara Pazova, will try and complete the job they began with a 3-0 victory.
Maccabi’s 21-year-old defender Roy Revivo who made a second half substitute appearance at the Haladas stadium in Hungary would like to book a place in Friday’s Europa League draw which takes place at Monaco. “I think that we more than deserve to reach these stages and give everything we can but let us see what happens.”
Revivo, who was part of Israel’s national team to the Olympic games in Paris this summer, before rejoining the team in qualification playing abroad week in week out reflected: “I think they don’t like it as much back home that I am absent so often but I am delighted to be part of those European stages as well as the national team. I am working extremely hard to do that.”
The advantage from the first leg is not something Revivo hasn’t taken lightly, but at the same time remains with his feet on the ground: “We played a good game last week. But I football everything is possible. Just like TSC had two players sent off and played with 9 players it can happen to us as well. Everything can happen in football.”
Thursday’s match will see Maccabi return to the TSC Arena, a venue which hosted Maccabi’s home matches in the Conference League: “I know the stadium and remember it clearly” Revivo said: “We have a 3-0 lead from the first leg and need to arrive prepared and dominate the game. I am confident the coaching staff would prepare us properly.”
The fact Maccabi’s opening league match against Hapoel Jerusalem was postponed allowed the team a week to prepare between the two legs as Revivo concluded: “Yes, it gave us a week to recover and prepare but still we have a big enough squad so it is all for the best really.”
