Maccabi Tel Aviv Eliminated From European Competition After Draw With Lugano

Maccabi Tel Aviv was eliminated from European football competitions for the first time in three seasons following a 1-1 draw against Swiss club Lugano in the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff. Despite taking the lead through Dor Peretz, Maccabi conceded an equalizer even though Lugano played with ten men, resulting in a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Swiss side. This follows Maccabi's earlier elimination from the UEFA Europa League by CSKA Sofia, also by a single goal margin, which had dropped them into the Conference League playoffs. The Israeli cup holders now face a season without European football and must focus on reclaiming the domestic league title, a challenging task given their recent struggles and disappointing performances both at home and abroad. This marks a significant downturn for Maccabi Tel Aviv, who last season lost their championship hopes prematurely and endured multiple setbacks.