Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv will meet tonight (Sunday, 21:00) for an intriguing derby that will close the first round for them in the Premier League. The Yellows have won 12 of the last 13 derbies in all competitions, including a dramatic 77:80 last year at the Hall, in a game in which they came back from a 16-point deficit in the second half. Yannis Sapropoulos’ team has a perfect home balance this season in the league (0: 5) and has won its games at Menora Mivtachim Hall by more than 18 points on average.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will reach the game without Cameron Taylor, Angelo Cloiaro and Derrick Williams who did not register for the squad. The 12 players in yellow-blue for the derby are John Dibertolomao, Scotty Wilbkin, Keenan Evans, Ido Menchel, Jaylen Reynolds, Roman Sorkin, Oded Brandwein, Oz Blazer, Jake Cohen, James Nanley, Ante G. Izic and Yiftach Ziv.
“Everyone knows the importance of this game,” he said Yannis Sapropoulos Just before the derby, “We know who we are playing against. We want to continue the ability from the second half against Zenit, with good defense and aggression. Hapoel is a good attacking team, so we have to play good defense. In attack we have to read what they try to do against us and find ways to attack. Them in a smart way, as we want. “
“Everyone knows what the importance of the derby is for us, especially after the last game and the feeling of disappointment from it,” he added Oz Blazer, “We want to come and play well and achieve a good victory. The derby is always something special – we will come to fight and give everything. “
from the other side, Timur Bar He said ahead of the game: “We are very excited and looking forward to it, know the importance of the game and are waiting for it to start already. Our last game was good defensively and also offensively, we delivered a lot of assists and a lot of guys were very involved. It gives confidence, Josh added a lot and assumes that it will only improve over time, we hope to continue it in the next game as well. “
He added: “Their bad time? Try to break away from it and come prepared. Despite their good tinsmithing in the Euroleague, in the league they are doing well. Sure it will be very difficult regardless of their results, so less think about it. Everyone understands the rivalry and importance and the situation we are in, it’s a game that can make our season. Zalmanson? He is in a great season and everyone sees it, he takes it upon himself and it is not surprising to me, he will just continue like this. “
Danny Franco He said: “There is not too much to say, there is always a game that has excitement ahead, of course we will try to do the best we know, it will require us to transcend and we know it. “On the other side there is a very high quality opponent, the highest quality in the league, the players know that the atmosphere will be warm and the opponent prepares accordingly, it is not a game they can lighten their head, so it requires much more from us than almost any other team in the league.”
The coach added: “The players will play against a quality they have not met to date in the league, it will require us to reach our potential, there will be a good atmosphere in the hall, communication between the players will have a decisive impact. It’s a challenge and it’s good for us. Scotty Wilbkin? It is clear that in the more ‘sexy’ games of the season he knows how to make the switch, we have to be real with ourselves, he has been on the team for many, many years. In the end it’s players versus players, we’ll try to narrow his steps, and that’s a challenge we will get. Obviously the game is important to the crowd as well, we will do everything we can best on the pitch regardless of the result. It is clear that the balance of power is not in our favor, but it is less interesting to us at the moment. “
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