Dolev Haziza Felt Humiliated by Maccabi Haifa Coaches

Israeli footballer Dolev Haziza described feeling deeply humiliated and personally hurt by his treatment at Maccabi Haifa, leading him to cut ties with former professional director Lior Refaelov and head coach Barak Bakhar. Haziza, who was part of the team during a successful period including three consecutive championships, a Champions League qualification, and a win against Juventus, found himself on the outside after a poor club season.

Following the team's struggles, Refaelov and Bakhar decided Haziza's time at the club was over. In an interview with "One on One with Dani Inbar," Haziza recounted a conversation with Refaelov, who initially tried to soften the blow by offering him the chance to train with the senior squad until he found a new team. However, Haziza felt this was presented disrespectfully in the media, stating, "What, are they doing me a favor? My honor was already trampled."

At training, Haziza felt ignored by Bakhar, with no verbal interaction. He was then instructed by an assistant coach to train separately with the fitness coach while younger players were promoted, a moment he described as "humiliating and outrageous." Haziza revealed he was personally wounded by Bakhar, whom he had considered like a father, and felt let down by the lack of a proper farewell.

Haziza stated he has "deleted" both Refaelov and Bakhar from his life and will not speak to them again. He shared that his wife was also deeply affected, crying after seeing media reports before he could inform her. When she asked about Bakhar, Haziza told her, "There is no more Barak. He turned his back on me. That sealed the story for me."