Maccabi Tel Aviv are worried about the weak ability of the defense and are expected to return to a set of three brakes against Villarreal tomorrow (Thursday, 22:00) • Maor Kandil is expected to return to the squad, also Alexander Peshich in the picture
Maccabi Tel Aviv players. Problem with defense
Photography:
Alan Shiver
If there is one thing that can be learned about Maccabi Tel Aviv from the meeting against Maccabi Haifa (2: 2) - apart from the character that ultimately led to the Yellows' draw - it is that the defense is still far from being the iron defense the champion was last year.
True, conceding 10 goals for an entire season is an inconceivable statistic that has gone down in the history books, so it is clear that what happened last year was extraordinary.
However, the six goals conceded by the Yellows this season in four games indicate a problem in the back line, which is struggling to function in an array of defensive quartets.
The weakness of the defense is one of the reasons why the team is still without a league win, and for the Yellows this is the worst season opener since the 07/08 season, so they achieved their first win in the league after eight rounds.
In the run-up to tomorrow's Europa League game against Villarreal (Thursday, 22:00), it looks like Donis will return to the five-man defensive line (three brakes), with defender Maor Kandil, who came off the bench against the Greens and excelled, expected to return to the squad.
Striker Alexander Peshich is also in the lineup, and is expected to get more minutes.