The rematch between Vladan Ivić and Maccabi Tel Aviv against Aris Thessaloniki tomorrow (Thursday, 21:00, Sport1) will not be just another game. And the Serbian played one season in Aris ranks (2007/08), before ending his playing career in PAUK Thessaloniki, then becoming a coach. He knows the city well, and is very popular in the streets, as can be learned from the video letter that appeared on the official website of Maccabi Tel Aviv upon his return to the country.
“I left in 2017, six years have passed, this is the first time I come here as a coach of another team,” he said. “I spent many years here, I played in two teams, seven years in Pauk and another year in Aris, and this is where my home is, my family, and to be back with my team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, is special. But it’s part of the job, like I said. It was in the past and I’m not I like to live in the past and talk about the past. I’m only focused on the game, no matter who we’re playing against. I work to give 100 percent every day to Maccabi Tel Aviv.”
The yellows held the final training session for the match at the Kalantis Wikilides Stadium and before entering the stadium they spent a few minutes commemorating one of the local team’s fans. Ivic and the players marched to a point not far from the stadium where there is a monument to the memory of Aris Thessaloniki fan, Alkis Campanos, who was stabbed to death by a rival team fan at that point. Ivić placed a wreath on behalf of Maccabi on the monument while the club’s general secretary, Idan Alter, told the players about the tragic event that shook Greece. After that, the players stood for a minute of silence in his memory.