Hapoel Be'er Sheva Suffers Heavy Defeat Amidst Team Struggles

Hapoel Be'er Sheva experienced a significant downturn, culminating in a resounding 4-1 home loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday. Coach Ran Kozuch, while refuting the notion that the team has been in decline since their Champions League playoff exit to Sabah, acknowledged the reality of their deteriorating performance. This latest defeat marks a stark contrast to their earlier impressive showings against Red Star Belgrade and in the first leg against Sabah.

The team's struggles are evident in their domestic league performance, showing a consistent downward trend. A late free-kick goal secured a win against Hapoel Ramat Gan earlier in the season, followed by conceding a late equalizer against Hapoel Haifa. The loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, however, was described as an uncharacteristic "collapse" by Kozuch, who stated, "We didn't show up for the game and didn't know how to stop the snowball effect that started in the first minute with a goal not fitting for the Premier League level."

Players have expressed a "sense of emptiness" following their Champions League elimination, despite the prospect of playing in the Europa League. Goalkeeper Ofir Marciano admitted, "The Champions League elimination was difficult, it's a scar that will remain with us." Kozuch, however, believes players should not be disheartened by competing in the Europa League and disagrees with linking the Sabah elimination to their current form.

Concerns also extend to the team's squad depth, particularly in midfield, where key players like Lucas Ventura, Eliel Peretz, and Niv Yehoshua lack adequate replacements. The club is reportedly looking to acquire Yarin Levi, though the deal is complex and expensive. Hapoel Be'er Sheva acknowledged they were outmatched by Maccabi Tel Aviv even at full strength, raising worries about their ability to compete in two competitions as the Europa League campaign begins against Dinamo Zagreb.

Adding to the team's woes, Lucas Ventura sustained a hamstring injury, likely a tear, which will sideline him for an unspecified period. The upcoming international break offers some respite. Additionally, the club will investigate an incident involving Eliel Peretz, who was sent off for second yellow card, reportedly for remarks made to the referee. The availability of Igor Zlatanovic for the upcoming match against Hapoel Petah Tikva remains uncertain.