Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Foreign Players Begin Pre-Season Training in Serbia
Pre-Season Preparations Commence
Tyrese Asante and Wesley Patachi, the foreign players of Maccabi Tel Aviv, will gather in Belgrade tomorrow (Monday) for their first meeting with head coach Žarko Lazić and the coaching staff since the championship match. This marks the official start of the team’s training for the upcoming season. The reigning champions will initiate their preparations under unique circumstances, functioning in a split training format.
Domestic Training for Israeli Players
On Tuesday, the Israeli players will convene at Kiryat Shalom, joined by several loaned players from last season and some youth players. They will begin their training regimen with fitness coach Yossi Zigdon, who will oversee their workouts in Israel. These training sessions will commence under the constraints imposed by Home Front Command, which have remained in place following a recent US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Youth Players Join the Roster
The youth players set to start training with the team and join them for the upcoming camp in Hungary include Lotem Asras, Idan Weinberg, Liran Spiegel, Daniel Tishler, and Roi Magor. Additionally, some loaned players who played in Ramla-Ido Ouli, Adir Cordoba, and Yehuda Blai-will also join alongside others like Itay Ben Hamu and Shachar Rosen.
Upcoming Training Camp in Hungary
If all goes as planned, the team will fly from Israel in the coming days to unite in Hungary. This will see the Israeli players arriving from Israel and the foreign players traveling from Belgrade, with a schedule anticipated to be confirmed by June 30. This arrangement will result in five separate training sessions before their full integration.
Historical Context of Split Training Sessions
This is not the first instance of Maccabi Tel Aviv employing this split training approach. A similar situation occurred in November 2023 when coach Robbie Keane and the foreign players trained in Poland, while Israeli players conducted their sessions in Israel. They joined forces once traveling permitted.
Squad Reinforcement Efforts
In parallel with these training developments, Maccabi Tel Aviv is actively working to strengthen its squad. The club is pursuing a deal for South African player Mophokeng from Orlando Pirates, with a prstart tag of approximately 1.5 million euros along with 25% of future sale rights. Currently, the main hurdle appears to be the player’s agreement, as he and his father weigh the decision of whether to move to Israel. In South Africa, there is a perception that Maccabi holds an advantage over rival Maccabi Haifa due to their higher likelihood of participating in European competitions this season.
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