Although the road is long, Hapoel Jerusalem is already negotiating with FIBA ​​members about the terms of the Champions League Final Four in May • In order for the event to approach the capital, Oded Ketch's team has to beat Burgos tonight - in the "game of the season"

• Shelvin Mack. Will the new landlord be in Jerusalem?

  Photo:

  Maor Alexasci

1 Although it is still early, and some will not want to talk about it for reasons we will, but Hapoel Jerusalem is already seriously thinking about hosting the FIFA Champions League Final Four in Arena if and when they fly to it, in accordance with an agreement with the plant's management. May 3, the semi-finals will be held on Friday, and the finals will be played on Sunday, as has been the case in all Final Four classes since the plant was established in the 2016/17 season.

Last season, the people of Jerusalem worked to advance the finals to Thursday to prevent the games from clashing with the Sabbath, but encountered a problem as Thursday was Holocaust Memorial Day. In the end, the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, and unfortunately for the people of Jerusalem they did not have to deal with the issue.

The season does not intend to pre-match the games for Thursday, and the girls have already been reached by FIBA ​​for the games to be held on Friday noon to end long before the Sabbath entry at 6:39 pm The first semifinal is scheduled for 13: 00 while the other will start at 16:00

The only thing left to solve is which game will play Jerusalem, which its people want to play at 13:00, so that all Sabbath observers can come to the game and return in time to their homes, while FIBA ​​prefers Jerusalem in the second game, which is considered central. Therefore, Hapoel Jerusalem must win Burgos tonight and stand in a good position for the decision-making stages of the factory.

Paladin. Waiting to see what game the Jerusalem Cross will play // Photo: Maor Alexisi

2 Israeli groups have traditionally had difficulty facing Spanish rivals. Maccabi Tel Aviv won this year in Spain after five years of losses. Hapoel Holon tasted a victory for a Spanish team for the first time in history, when it barely overcame Menersa, and Hapoel Jerusalem also had unpleasant experiences.

In the last five seasons, the team has played 12 times against the capital from Spain, and since then seven losses and five wins have been made against Jerusalem. Jerusalem does not forget the impeachment last season by Tenerife in the Champions League quarterfinals, the loss in the EuroCup semifinals to Valencia in the season, 2016/17 and the 47th defeat to Gran Canaria one season earlier.

No wonder Hapoel Jerusalem is preparing for the match against Burgos High, and there are some in the club who call it the "game of the season." In the previous round, the Spaniards won at home, and now Jerusalem knows that its victory will ensure home-ownership at all stages of the knockout and in fact significantly bring the Final Four to the Arena.

Encourage Ketch. The loss to Maccabi Haifa should be recovered earlier this week // Photo: Maor Alexasi

"Everyone in us was happy to welcome Shelvin Mack," they say in Jerusalem. The players felt they needed help, the professional staff was significantly strengthened by the roster and the management and fans were pleased with his arrival. Now only the landlord's issue is left behind.
James Paladin may be the leader of the team, but by now it was clear that the ball was in the hands of Tamir Blatt and Jacob Brown. In the important minutes, it was mostly the last he took command, but now another player who can and wants to lead.

In the two league games since arriving, Mack has been replaced by Brown (who was given a rest for medical reasons), and in his only match in the Champions League, he has opened in the quintet while Brown is on the bench, and the two have played nearly the same number of minutes. Jerusalem makes it clear that Brown is still the leading player in the position, and if the Final Four trophy and league were to be held at the current time, anyone who finds himself out of the roster due to the law allowing only five foreigners to register is probably Mack.

However, a good view of the new player against the strong Burgos will send a message to everyone about the new hierarchy forming in the back line.