All roads lead to Europe: Recognize the rivalry of Israeliness in Europe | Israel today

The four largest teams in Israel were drawn today (Wednesday) in the European framework qualifiers.

What awaits each of them and who to watch out for?

Rivalry Review

Maccabi Haifa - Olympiacos

The name Olympiacos returns the Greens from Carmel to their first major European achievement: a 0: 3 victory in the home leg of the 2002/03 Champions League from a hat-trick by Igbini Yakubu, which was also the first victory of an Israeli team in the senior European factory.

20 years later, Olympiacos arouses much concern among the Greens after the draw arranged for them to face the Greeks in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

Since that pair of encounters, Olympiacos has appeared in the home stage 14 times, won 15 championships and become a monopoly in local football.

With Portuguese coach Pedro Martinez the team has won its last three championships and recorded a number of impressive European achievements including two appearances in the Europa League quarter-finals while on the road beating Arsenal and PSO Eindhoven.

The stars of the team are the Moroccan striker Yusuf al-Arabi, the Brazilian Chiquinio, Giorgos Masuras, the Frenchmen Matthew and Albuena and Ian Mbila, and also the Czech goalkeeper Tomasz and Atzlik.

She hosts her games at Kraiskaskis Stadium in Piraeus.

At the same time, the Greek champion has always failed against Israeli teams.

Against Maccabi Haifa, they lost 3-0 and finished 3-3 at home, Maccabi Tel Aviv overtook them in the Europa League qualifiers in 2011, and Hapoel Beer Sheva ousted them in the 2017 Champions League qualifiers, when their coach was Barak Bachar.

Maccabi Tel Aviv - Arena

Arena, who finished last season in third place in Azerbaijan, should not interfere with Vladan Ivic's team on its way to the Conference League.

With only one European appearance, in the 2017/2018 Europa League qualifiers, the team known as the “Eagles” has no experience in international meetings.

Maccabi Tel Aviv players. No problem is expected, Photo: Ami Shumen

The team is coached by Rashad Zadigov, the top performer of the Azerbaijani national team as a player, who led the team to a record season of third place and a loss in the cup final to Krabach.

A few arenas to score - only 33 goals in the league - but also conceded only 27.

The king of its gates was the Georgian David Volkoy, and the squad is played mainly by local players.

Hapoel BS-

One of the two will be the rival of the trophy holder, and it will be a big surprise if the team from Montenegro moves on.

Although Dzic has been the runner-up for the past two years, he is also a team that has spent years in the lower leagues and played only two games in a European setting, in both losing.

Hapoel B'Shlosha. The opponent is not yet known,

Dynamo Minsk is much more experienced, and in the past has already beaten Hapoel and Maccabi Haifa.

In addition, in the last decade the team has played twice in the home stage of the Europa League.

She finished last season in third place in Belarus, but at the end of it sold her top scorer Abley Ambanga.

Its squad consists mostly of local players, seven of whom have been included in the squad for the last Nations League games.

Maccabi Netanya - Istanbul in Shakespeare 

In honor of its return to European football after nine years, Maccabi Netanya received a meeting with Bashkashir, one of the largest and most powerful teams in Turkey.

Although last season did not turn a blind eye to the team of Amra Bluzoglou (who made the transition from the field to the lines last season), the staff, money and experience make the Turks a big rival over Netanya in some numbers.

Netanya players are celebrating.

Will they manage to surprise the whole of Europe ?, Photo: Bernie Ardov

Among its players can be found the Portuguese Fizi, who has 17 appearances for the national team, Nasser Chadli with 66 for the Belgian national team, Stefano Okaka with five for Italy and also the Egyptian national team striker, Trezeguet, who will be interesting to see what he decides to do in Israel.

The young team, which was founded only in 1990, also managed to record some significant European achievements, including the eighth final of the Europa League and two appearances in the home stage of the Champions League - including two years ago when it achieved one victory, over Manchester United.

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