Almog Cohen Opens Beitar Jerusalem's Season With a Clear Message to the Squad

Beitar Jerusalem began preparations on Tuesday for the 2026/2027 season, with Almog Cohen now leading the team after replacing Barak Itzhaki. The club held its first training session with several new faces in the squad, including Tomer Yosefi, Noam Motzhe and Daniel Wurko. Most of the foreign players were still absent and are expected to join gradually, while midfielder Ilson Tavares already came to training.

At the opening team meeting, Cohen told the players he took the job because he believes in them and in the group. “I took this role because I really believe in you and believe in us,” he said. “I’ll need to adapt myself to the team, but you will also need to adapt yourselves to me.” He also welcomed the new arrivals and said he was sure they would help Beitar this season and that the rest of the squad would receive them well.

Cohen said the club had added new staff alongside its existing coaching group, highlighting Aviram Bruchian by name. He stressed that nutrition would be a central part of his approach, saying he wanted the players to understand proper eating as a way to advance their careers, not just as a matter of weight checks or body-fat penalties. He said the club would monitor it closely every week.

He closed by telling the squad that off the pitch he is there for each player, but on the pitch the demand is to give everything and be the best possible. Beitar will leave for its traditional training camp in Pravec, Bulgaria, from July 1 to July 10, and will host its European home matches at the stadium in Ploiesti, Romania, as it did last season.