Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hamrun Spartans

This match is nominally a home game for Maccabi, but it’s widely understood that this is merely on paper. In reality, the squad will once again need to prove its strength on a neutral ground. This time, the opponent seems to be quite favorable.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Recent Performance and Challenges

Last season concluded perfectly for Maccabi, as the team rightfully became the champions of Israel. However, the new season has presented some initial hurdles. The team immediately suffered a defeat in the domestic Super Cup. Following that, the Tel Aviv side unexpectedly lost to Pafos in Serbia. The reasons for their quick dismissals and a string of injuries remain unclear. While playing with a numerical disadvantage, they couldn’t pull off a miracle, but Maccabi quickly rebounded and started performing at their accustomed high level.

Last season, Hamrun managed to outperform all other teams in Malta. The tournament system there is highly distinctive, and Hamrun secured their lead in the overall championship standings primarily through tie-breaking criteria.

Hamrun Spartans’ Troubled European Campaign

As for the Spartans, the team has parted ways with several key players. Their troubles began right from the first qualifying round. They miraculously advanced past Žalgiris, despite not just losing but being severely beaten by a two-goal margin in the first away fixture. This was an absolutely abysmal result. What followed were simply dreadful matches against Dynamo Kyiv. Regardless of the perspective, Hamrun was demonstrably weaker across all metrics. Their opponents had nearly four times as many scoring opportunities. Dynamo netted three goals, and one of their strikes was even disallowed in that particular match.