Maccabi Tel Aviv
The runner-up will hold her first training session in Kiryat Shalom this evening after returning from the Netherlands yesterday (Friday) afternoon. At the end, coach Mladen Krastić will decide whether to give a rest tomorrow against Hapoel Haifa to some of the players and not start with his regular squad recently due to the load of recent games. “Every decision that is made regarding the squad will relate to the game against Hapoel Haifa and not to the game against PSV Eindhoven,” a Maccabi Tel Aviv player assessed this morning. “The coach will not save players for the meeting against Eindhoven, but will raise the eleven he thinks can bring him the victory over Hapoel Haifa.”
For example, the Serb will examine the physical condition of Andre Geralds, Stipa Fritza and Gabi Kanikovsky, who have missed almost no minutes in recent games. As you may recall, on Thursday Maccabi Tel Aviv is looking forward to the rematch against PSV Eindhoven in Bloomfield and the coach has to decide what is best for the team that only last night played at the Phillips Stadium in the Netherlands the first game against PSV.
Striker Stepa Fritza said at the press conference that Maccabi can narrow the gap from Maccabi Haifa to five points, even if only temporarily: “The atmosphere in the team is good. We achieved good results and in Europe against PSV the result is fine. We will focus on every game and see what happens in the future. “We have two more games against Maccabi Haifa and I hope we will have a chance. We led 0: 2 and lost to them in the previous game, I felt bad after that because I had a part in the goals, but I did not forget it and in the next games against them I will be better.”
Burglary was also asked about his relationship with striker Georgia Juvanovic: “We come from similar areas and speak the same language. I want to help him and not look at him as someone who competes with me. The most important thing is that Maccabi Tel Aviv wins and takes points, So I’ll be happy if he cooks for me and I for him, that’s our job. “
Coach Mladen Krastić added: “This is a very important game for us, and so is it for them. All the teams want to win before the playoffs and tomorrow for us it is the most important game and I believe the players know they have to forget PSV and get ready tomorrow. We had a very good game Against PSV throughout the 90 minutes, but in the first half we may have respected them too much and it is important that we have gained confidence ahead of the rematch at Bloomfield. Like everyone else, but he did not play for a long time. “
On his future, he said: “I will do my best to achieve the best results. Whether I stay at Maccabi Tel Aviv or not next season, I want us to talk about ourselves for the better.”
One way or another, the players who returned to Israel yesterday talked about not missing the opportunity to continue to reduce the gap in conductivity. “We worked very hard not to let Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Beer Sheva escape. Many estimated that at this stage we would already be in a double-digit gap from Maccabi Haifa and here we narrowed the gap between them and Beer Sheva. We must continue to win,” the team said.
The team were pleased with the way Brandley Kubas came into the game yesterday as a substitute and it may arrange for him a place in the squad tomorrow if Krastajic decides to make changes in attack and allow a break for the break. Who should get the first few minutes as a substitute at least is the Portuguese stopper Joshua Se. Krestic decided on Tuesday to start with Matan Balteksa as a left-back and he is debating whether to return Ofir Davidzada to the squad.
Estimated composition: Daniel Peretz, Andre Geralds, Idan Nachmias, Enrik Saborit, Ofir Davidzada, Dan Glazer, Eden Shamir, Gabi Kanikovsky, Dan Bitton, Brandley Kobas, Georgia Juvanovic.
Trivia
* 122 meetings were held between the teams in the senior league, with Maccabi Tel Aviv leading 30:57 in victories and another 35 games were not decided.
* Hapoel Haifa has not beaten Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last 10 meetings, since the 1: 2 away away in March 2018.
* Maccabi Tel Aviv in a series of three league victories, for the first time this season. Also last season she started such a series at the end of January and went on to 10 consecutive victories.
* Elisha Levy has not beaten Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last eight attempts, since he scored 2: 3 at home with Hapoel Beer Sheva in September 2014. Outside he has not done so since his second championship with Maccabi Haifa (0: 2 May 2011).
* Georgia Juvanovic has scored goals as a substitute in his first two Premier League appearances. For comparison, Hapoel Haifa did not receive a single goal from its substitutes this season.
23rd round games:
Saturday, 15:00: Maccabi Petah Tikva – Maccabi Netanya (Sports 4)
Saturday, 17:30: Hapoel Beer Sheva – Urbani Kiryat Shmona (Sport 4)
Saturday, 18:00: Hapoel Jerusalem – MS. Ashdod
Saturday, 19:50: Hapoel Hadera – Betar Jerusalem (Sports 4)
Sunday, 19:00: Bnei Sakhnin – Hapoel Nof Hagalil
Sunday, 20:15: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Haifa (Sport 2)
Monday, 20:30: Maccabi Haifa – Hapoel Tel Aviv