In the referees’ union, they are racking their brains over who will officiate the game between the second in the table Hapoel BS and the third Maccabi Tel Aviv in 10 days. The preferred name of Eitan Tabrizi, the national star, is Gal Leibovich.
Leibovich managed the game yesterday in which Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Hadera drew 1:1 and is in a good season regardless. The 36-year-old referee refereed Maccabi Tel Aviv games twice this season. Once in a 2:2 against Beitar Jerusalem, when he issued a red card to Derrick Lucassen, which the professional committee determined was correct in his decision, and even before that he refereed the game in which Maccabi defeated Tel Aviv 0:3 Maccabi Netanya.
Leibovitch managed BS in three games this season. BS twice beat Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Rayna in the league, with the Reds scoring three goals in both games, and he also refereed the cup game in which BS lost to MS Ashdod 2:1 and was kicked out of the league.
If he officiates the game, it won’t be the international referee’s first time. The last time he played this intriguing game was in May 2022, when the two teams drew 1:1. Leibovitch issued a red card to Nikita Rukovitsa who played for BSH after 16 minutes following a foul for giving Balataxa.
Israel’s senior referee Oral Greenfeld will not be able to officiate the game since he will be refereeing Hapoel BS against Hapoel Jerusalem in the upcoming round. Eitan Shmoelevich, who is also considered a senior and in his retirement season, officiated the previous game between the two teams.