With three consecutive victories, including 0:3 in the last round against Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be hosted tomorrow (Monday) at 20:30 at Turner Stadium by Hapoel Beer Sheva for a top game, as they want to return to first place after losing it yesterday to Maccabi Haifa. This evening coach Vladan Ivitch and midfielder Nir Biton spoke on the road.
On the professional side, midfielder Oskar Gluch complained of pain in his groin and on Fridays and Saturdays he did light training on the sides of the field. Only after the final training session and consultation with the midfielder and the medical team will it be decided if he will start in the lineup, when Ivić is expected to keep the 11 that started against Maccabi Netanya.
Vladan Ivic He said before the game: “To be honest, I don’t exactly know the statistics and when Maccabi won the last time in B.S. We know they are a tough team and they have players with a lot of experience, we are preparing ourselves for a tough game with them at home, but our goal is to take all three points, even though the stadium is a tough place and we will have to do our best to win.”
On Gloch, the coach added: “It’s good that Oscar signed, both for us and for him. It’s important that this story is over and everyone is happy with the way Oscar is staying here. The club is very happy to sign such a talented player for two more years, he has taken his first steps in the club and he will continue to improve in Maccabi. It is certain that the fans are satisfied that this situation is under control.”
Before the game he said: “There are no favorites for tomorrow’s game, you have heard the statistics for the last two years. How will we be favorites if we play with a team like them? They are a competitive team that also plays in Europe. We are busy with ourselves and we only care about what we have to do to win, we will concentrate and stay with our goals in the game”.
About Yonatan Cohen, Ivitch said: “Yonathan arrived a month or three weeks ago, but he is still not at his best. We work with him every day and wait for him to be available to join the team. Whether it will be tomorrow or not, we will have to decide.”
The coach continued: “I never read things that are written in the media. I respect your work but to stay quiet and calm I don’t read. I think this is the first time me and Breda will be facing each other on the lines. I know he is a talented and young coach and there will be a good competition. They are a good and talented team and a lot thanks to him, I follow our opponents, and I saw what they did in the last week to prepare the team for what we need to do to win.
“We have been playing the same method since the beginning of the year. I won’t talk about who starts and who doesn’t tomorrow, we will find the best 11 we can go up with. There are always injuries and there are always things that change it, but we will go up with our strongest lineup. I’m satisfied with Fivan and Viny, they played well against Netanya and will continue to do a good job.”
Nir Biton He said before the game: “An away game is difficult, every game in the league is difficult and it doesn’t matter who they play against. There are no easy games and Hapoel BS is a very strong team and we know what they are capable of. We have a really difficult game against them and we hope to get through it safely.”
On the change of positions he added: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m a player who will do everything for the coach and whatever the coach decides I’ll do, it’s his decision and I’ll do what I can. I think the group format is what works for me, we try to work on it every day. Of course there are many things to improve and I haven’t played a lot of games so it will take me a little more time to get to know the friends and get to know everyone’s strengths. I try to do my part and contribute from the experience I gained abroad. Every game I will give my 100 percent.”
About personal achievements, the midfielder said: “I don’t think it’s something that interests me, the success of the team is above all, as in all the years I had at Celtic. I am ready to give up a lot so that we can win a championship and have a successful year, individual titles speak less to me. I probably won’t win the Ballon d’Or, so I don’t care. I came to Maccabi only because of the desire to use my strengths in the Israeli league.”
Beaton also spoke about the connection with Gloch: “I had several conversations with Oscar in the past and I got to talk to him several times about going abroad. My opinion throughout my career was not to rush and take my time. Oscar is a very talented actor and he still has a lot to learn to get to the places he wants to go. Fortunately for him, he is in a club whose ambitions and goals can only help him, because he is truly a great talent and if he spends another year or two at Maccabi Tel Aviv and leads the team to good places such as championships and Europe, it will only be good for his career.”
Towards Hapoel BS he said: “We don’t look too much at the opponent’s advantages or disadvantages. Every game in the league is a very difficult game, as I said, and the Hapoel BS outside is a game that is very challenging and very difficult. We have the things we train on and the coach tries to show us things every day.”
The contact continued: “Past incidents never scared me. I don’t look at what others have done, I believe in my own way and know what I can contribute and obviously I have arrived at a huge club. Maccabi Tel Aviv is a club that fights for all the titles and with the same expectations and ambitions as I had at Celtic. Our main goal is to win the championship and the way to get there is through faith and perseverance. Tomorrow is just a rich season and there are 26 more games, we will do our best to win the game, but the season is still long.”
About the crowd’s support at the home games, Beaton said: “Bloomfield is irreplaceable. Maccabi’s crowd is a loving and supportive crowd and this is very noticeable in the home games. The state of Israel is small so the ability in home games automatically changes because the crowd lifts you up when you need to lift yourself up. Of course, in away games we don’t score the same amount as at home, so away is always more difficult and challenging, but it’s something we’ll have to go through in order to reach our goals.”
The composition is approximate: Daniel Peretz, Maor Kandil, Nir Biton, Derrick Lucassen, Enrik Saborit, Ofir Davidzadeh, Dan Glazer, Gabi Kanikovski, Oskar Gloch (Parfa Goyagon/Dor Peretz), Eran Zahavi and George Jovanovic.