Category: Match day program EN
Know Your Opponent: Beitar Jerusalem
Stadium: Teddy Stadium (31,733)
On the sidelines:
After guiding Beitar Jerusalem to a third place finish last season, Sharon Mimer began the season on the sidelines as Eli Ohana took control of the club from Eli Tabib on a day to day basis. However, just as the league was about to begin, Mimer was relieved of his duties and though he has yet to be replaced, assistant coach Gil Levanda will guide the team.
Comings & Goings:
Beitar had an interesting summer as they lost some key players but added others. Jesus Rueda left the club who was the defense general as did Dan Einbinder. However, Yossi Benayoun and Georginho who starred at Sakhnin joined the team as did Antony Gaetan Varenne, Amir Agayev, Miki Siroshrtein, Tzion Tzemach all joined the side.
So far this season:
The season just began but just like Maccabi, Beitar has played plenty of minutes as the club took part in the Europa League Qualifying Rounds. In this First Round, Beitar faced Vasas from Hungary and won both legs by 4:3 and 3:0 scores. However, their continental campaign came to an end in the second round as they fell to Botev Plovdiv 5:1 on aggregate. In Toto Cup action, Beitar has played three games winning 3:0 at Toto-Turner Stadium against Hapoel Beer Sheva, defeating Ashdod 3:1 while falling 2:1 to Hapoel Ashkelon on Matchday while advancing to the quarterfinal round of the competition.
Under the magnifying glass:
The analysts have said that the while Beitar has a potent offense, their defense is suspect. The 3:0 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva in Toto Cup play showed the best the Jerusalem side can offer as Itay Shechter looks to be the main man on the attack, however, Georginho, Benayoun, Vered along with Ezra and Agayev can all give other teams fits. Antony Varenne who arrived from Beitar Jerusalem (13 goals last season for Hapoel Jerusalem) has scored three goals so far campaign.
Atzili’s Fabulous Five
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon
“Despite his age he still is able to maintain the highest level of play and that’s not something simple. I always enjoyed watching his passion for the game, the confidence he gives to his club and because of that many people can identify with him. On top of that you have to add that he is one of the greatest keepers in the history of the sport.”
Defender: Carlos Puyol
“Leader. He was Barcelona’s captain during the club’s glory days and if you loved the team, how could you not have loved Puyol. He was also a physical specimen. Due to his uncompromising play and ultimate professionalism, he is undoubtedly a role model for any player.”
Midfielder: Andrés Iniesta
“To me he is a magician. He has something in his feet that very few players have. Even though he may not be the most physical player, it’s impossible to steal the ball from him. His dribble and how he can see the game is an absolute thrill. Despite his numbers not being so amazing, to me he is a fantastic player.”
Attacking midfielder:
“Messi is Messi. In my eyes he is the all-time greatest player and the greatest I have ever been able to see. He is football genius and the things that he can do, you just can’t learn or train to do them.”
Striker: Ronaldo (Brazilian)
“He was the best striker I have ever seen play football. I loved watching him as a child and to me he was the complete striker. He had qualities of the highest levels: Finishing, technique, dribble and acceleration.”
Season Opener Happening: It’s All Waiting For You!
Here it is! The Israel Premier League, Ligat Ha’Al returns and what a way to start it off with a match against Beitar Jerualem. Excited? Just wait and see what kind of Happening we have in store for you to open the season. So, where shall we begin?
Let’s start in the morning with our Special Digital Matchday Program to begin the 2017/18 campaign that you must read.
Omer Atzili will give you his best of the best and that’s just a taste of what’s to come. Of course the Program is Free! All you have to do is download the App
In the Program and on the Club’s other digital platforms (Website, App, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) you’ll find the Matchday Sale item that you won’t want to miss. Just keep updated throughout the day because you definitely don’t want to miss any other surprises!
Before the opening whistle, actually long beforehand you’ll find the Issta Photo Stand right by the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Trailer where you’ll be able to take home an unforgettable souvenir from Matchday One. We won’t say any more except that you better make sure to get there early.
What if we told you that we that we were going to treat you to some Pizza Prego during the match on us? 
Well then check out the next deal, as all you have to do is be creative and tell us why you deserve it on the Facebook Post that will come out on Saturday. The Pizza Prego delivery person will visit the lucky fan at halftime and treat you to some yummy Pizza. In addition, one fan at home will also have the chance to one the door and have pizza delivered right to your home. Bon Appetite!
You can’t watch the match? You’re on the base, the road or on an island? Beginning at 20:45 you’ll be able to hear the match broadcast on “LIVE from the Stadium” on the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Website and App. Lior Timor and Alon Natan will accompany you throughout the game and keep you updated right from the stadium with the latest action.
Just before the opening whistle the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation will continue the tradition of honoring a Special Olympics athlete as part of the season long project with the sportsperson being presented with the Medallion of Honor by Captain Sheran Yeini.
Make no mistake, it doesn’t end here. But we have to leave some surprises. You don’t open the season everyday. Good luck and YALLA MACCABI!
Superhero: The Amazing & Meaningful Story of the Yellow Spider
הכירו את אופיר פנחס, העכביש הצהוב
Let’s put it this way, I have been rooting for Maccabi longer than I even know myself! I had a dream that I wanted to make a Maccabi tattoo on my whole body after I was released from the army. I went to a tattoo parlor but then I was afraid to do it because it just really wasn’t me. So I thought about what else could I do in place of a tattoo and I came up with doing Spiderman makeup in Yellow & Blue and since then I’ve been known as the Yellow Spider.
About 8 years ago I began to get tired very easily and I couldn’t understand as I am such a active person and I also worked out my entire life. But I started feeling worse and worse and during one of the blood tests I did they saw that there was an issue. They thought it was perhaps lymphoma so they sent me to another place for further tests until they understood that it was scarcoidosis. Know one knows how I contracted it but it is a type of lung disease that affects the whole body.
Unfortunately my case is very serious and I have pain 24 hours a day that never goes away. My physical ability is poor today and my wife helps me as I am in bed for the better part of each day. It’s not easy and I have to work very hard, every day, every hour and every minute. Maccabi is a huge part of my soul and it’s part of my therapy. It’s the most amazing and strongest medicine that one can have. Once I found out that I had this disease it took me a couple of weeks to say to myself that I have to deal with it, there’s nothing I can do and I’ll do the best as I possibly can.
Maccabi Tel Aviv heals the soul and when I go to a match it gives me so much energy and treatment that my soul needs. People who are in my situation can understand what I feel when I go to see Maccabi and that is also true for those who are healthy. People that have Maccabi in their blood know how it can heal the soul. It’s emotion and amazing energy. It’s the goosebumps that are all over the body, it’s the soul, all in the soul.
If we don’t know how to take care of our soul it doesn’t matter if you are healthy or ill. The most important thing is to have a healthy soul. That’s the best medicine one can have.
Did you know? Facts & Stats about Maccabi against Greek opponents
6 Facts about Maccabi & Greek opponents
To date, Maccabi has faced 4 opponents from Greece: PAOK, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, Asteras
Panionios will be Maccabi’s 52nd opponent across all European competitions and the 5th from Greece – the most from any other country
Record in 8 matches against Greek opponents: 5 Wins, 3 Losses
Maccabi has advanced 3 times out of the 4 two legged ties
The biggest win: 3:0 over Panathinaikos at Bloomfield (2011/12)
Maccabi kept a clean sheet in all 3 matches that were played in Israel: 3:0 over Panathinaikos, and 1:0 wins against both Olympiakos and PAOK
The first time Maccabi faced a Greek opponent was the 2004/05 Champions League Playoffs. The Yellow & Blue advanced over PAOK and featured in the group stages for the first time.
On top of Olympus: An unforgettable concert against Panathinaikos
2011/12: מכבי ת”א – פנאתינייקוס 0:3
Know your opponent: Panionios
The Yellow & Blue takes on Panionios of Greece this Thursday night (19:45) at the Netanya Stadium in the third round of Europa League qualifying. Let’s find out from veteran journalist Sotiris Milios from SDNA and Hellas Football a little bit about Maccabi Tel Aviv’s opponent and what they will need to do to advance to the Playoff Round.
Panionios may currently play in Nea Smyrni, a suburb of Athens but that was after they had moved there as a result of the Greco-Turkish War explained Hellas Football, “Panionios is a great old club that was founded in the year 1890 in Smyrna which is today Izmir, playing there until 1922.”
The Club plays in the Nea Smyrna Stadium which seats 11,700 spectators and as in every summer some of their top players have departed for bigger clubs Milios commented, “Panionios lost their two best players in Spyros Risvanis and Emmanouil Siopis as they left for Olympiakos.”
However, there are still a number of solid veterans Milios continued, “Captain Panagiotis Korbos a defensive midfielder is the soul of the team and a tireless worker. Central defender Evangelos Ikonomou is the leader of the defense, while youngsters Giorgos Masouras and Lazaros Lamprou are very dangerous on counterattacks. Panionios has always been a team with very few foreign players and that helps them to build very strong links on the pitch.”
The absence of the two Iranian players for the match in Israel and potentially the contest in Greece will hurt Panionios Hellas Football said, “The two Iranian players Ehsan Hajsafi and Masoud Shoji are very good and while not much can be done if they don’t play, the fans want them to take part in the games.” Milios echoed the sentiments, “The absence of the two players is really painful especially since Masoud is the brains of the team.”
Milios continued on about the style of play that Maccabi can expect from the Greek outfit, “Panionios gives trouble to every team that plays proactive football. They make life difficult for the big clubs in Greece including Olympiakos, AEK, PAOK, Panathinaikos and last season they defeated each one them at least once! They are a very disciplined team behind the ball who like to go on counterattacks. Panionios is the example of a team made up of friends playing for each other. In essence a real family.”
The Club’s new Head Coach Michail Grigoriou replaced Vladan Milojevic who left to take over the reigns at Red Star Belgrade. Hellas Football spoke about the new boss at Panionios, “He coached Kerkyra last season which is also in Greece’s top flight division, but he doesn’t have a great track record. It was an interesting signing after Milojevic was poached by Red Star Belgrade.”
Milios also chimed in on the Club’s hire, “He one of the most promising young coaches but up until this year Milojevic was an expert at small clubs who were trying to avoid relegation. He had an unsuccessful short spell at Atromitos Athens and Panionios will be the biggest challenge of his career. The calm and easy going coach prefers 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 and his teams are always organized.”
As for expectations, Milios explained that they have already been a success story this season in Europe after finishing in 5th place last campaign, “A European ticket was an overachievement. Don’t forget that this is a club from a small suburb in Athens which 2-3 years ago couldn’t get a license to play due to huge debts. So every little step is a success. A qualification against Maccabi would be historic for them.”
Panionios Stats & Facts
- German striker Samed Yesil was signed by the then Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers in 2012 and played in two league cup matches, but his career at the English outfit came off the rails numerous times due to injuries. After arriving at Panionios in January of 2017 he has already scored 3 goals in Europa Cup action this season.
- Panionios has faced three of the same European opponents as Maccabi; Dinamo Zagreb, Bordeaux and ND Gorica.
- The furthest Panionios has gone in Continental competition was in the 1998/99 Cup Winners Cup when they were eliminated by Lazio in the quaterfinals.
- Though Panionios hasn’t won a Greek League title, coming in 2nd in the 1950/51 and 1970/71 seasons, they have captured two Greek Cups in 1978/79 and 1997/98.
- The other titles won by Panionios include the now defunct Athens FCA Championship in 1950/51 and the 1970/81 Balkans Cup.
