Hapoel Be'er Sheva Coach Apologizes After 4-1 Loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the reigning Israeli league champions, suffered a significant 4-1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday evening, concluding the third round of the Premier League season. Following the disappointing performance, coach Ran Kochav expressed his regret to the team's supporters, stating, "We need to apologize to those who came to support us today. We will make it up to them later." He described the team's play as "very weak" and "very lax," admitting that they "didn't show up from the start." Kochav dismissed the idea that their recent elimination from the Champions League was a factor, emphasizing that the team needs to perform better regardless of European competition and that qualifying for the Europa League was a realistic initial goal.

Goalkeeper Ofir Marciano echoed the sentiment of disappointment, acknowledging the team's struggles but reminding his teammates that they are still the champions. "We talked at halftime about the fact that we are champions, and we are still the champions," Marciano said. "We didn't win the championship for nothing, mainly because of our character, and we need to show that." He also addressed the Champions League exit, calling it a "big miss" and a "scar that will remain with us," but stressed the importance of focusing on the present and future.

The loss places added pressure on Hapoel Be'er Sheva as they navigate the domestic league following their European disappointment.