Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Unusual Challenge Hosting Celta Vigo in Bucharest

Hapoel Be'er Sheva may lose its home advantage when hosting Celta Vigo in the Europa League, as the match will take place at Rapid Bucharest's stadium in Romania. This unusual situation arises because Celta Vigo's goalkeeper, Romanian national team player Ionuț Radu, is expected to receive strong support from local fans attending the game in Bucharest. Romanian media have expressed enthusiasm about Celta Vigo's visit, describing it as a "huge gift for Romanian football fans." Although Romanian fans had previously supported Be'er Sheva's Champions League qualification efforts, their focus has shifted to the Europa League, where Be'er Sheva is now seen as a "fostered team."

Radu's return to his hometown stadium, where he began his youth career at Steaua Bucharest, adds a personal dimension to the match. Despite Be'er Sheva officially hosting the game and paying a six-figure sum to use Rapid's stadium, the crowd may predominantly cheer for the opposing goalkeeper. The atmosphere could change if Radu does not start the match. Additionally, local police plan to limit attendance to 13,000 spectators for each of Be'er Sheva's four games in Bucharest, below the stadium's full capacity, which could impact ticket availability amid high demand, especially for the upcoming match against Juventus.