Beitar Jerusalem will begin its Conference League campaign on July 23 in the second qualifying round against Cypriot side AEK Larnaca. Immediately after Wednesday's draw, AEK announced that it had hired former Italy international Mauro Camoranesi as its new head coach on a one-year contract.
Camoranesi, 49, had a distinguished playing career with Hellas Verona, Juventus and Stuttgart, and won the 2006 World Cup with Italy. He made 45 Champions League appearances and scored only three times, but two of those goals came against Israeli clubs.
In 2004, Camoranesi scored against Maccabi Tel Aviv, and in 2009 he sealed Juventus' 1-0 win over Maccabi Haifa. After retiring as a player, he began his coaching career in Mexico with Coras de Tepic.
He later coached Tigres in Argentina, Cafetaleros de Chiapas in Mexico, Tabor Sezana and Maribor in Slovenia, worked on Marseille's staff in France, and also coached Floriana in Malta. Since mid-2024/25, he has worked in Cyprus, first at Karmiotissa and later in two separate spells at Anorthosis Famagusta.