Maccabi Tel Aviv will open the Euroleague season after only three games, the lowest number among the factory teams • And because they remained in the country, the level of rivalry was not enough, and the Yellows may pay a price
Dorsey against Hapoel Haifa
Photo:
Maccabi Tel Aviv, the official website
It is really not certain that you will see Maccabi Tel Aviv in good enough shape at the beginning of the season. The reason: The Yellows have a big problem, and it is a lack of quality training games in preparation for the Euroleague.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will open the season in the senior factory on October 1 .
Two training matches behind her (Holon and Hapoel Haifa), and this weekend the Yellows will play in the quarterfinals of the Winner's Cup (against Hapoel B'Shlosha or Hapoel Haifa). The
corona virus is of course the main cause of the problem. Do every summer with at least six meetings. But there are other reasons, such as the late end of the Premier League (at the end of July) that required Maccabi Tel Aviv to start training for the 20/21 season later than usual due to the players' vacations.
In view of the situation that has arisen, the other teams in the country, which are potential training rivals, also started training late.
But it is not only a minority of prep games, but also their quality.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will start the season without meeting a single European rival, let alone a rival from the Euroleague. Alba Berlin in the opening round of the factory will be the first "real" rival, but it will already be in an official game. They also met stronger rivals and some will come after a few league games (in Israel the league starts 17 days after the Euroleague) - a real tool trial that the Yellows do not have.
According to a test we conducted, Maccabi Tel Aviv occupies the first place in the minority before the opening of the senior factory. Illustrating the situation: CSKA will play 13 times - the most games before the start of the Euroleague (although it did not leave the country). This includes four meetings against Euroleague teams from Russia (Moscow and Zenit) and two games in the VTB League.
Milan will play 11 games, Nine of them are official - eight in the Italian Supercup and one in the league. Two more were pre-season games against Euroleague teams. The final between them, Panathinaikos will arrive
After nine games, and Olympicus after seven.
The two Turks will arrive without a game against the Euroleague team, but with games against the top of the local league.
