Jerusalem Captain Yarden Shua's Public Outburst Sparks Team Tension

Tensions have flared within the Beitar Jerusalem locker room following a public social media post by team captain Yarden Shua, directed at coach Almog Cohen. Shua shared a friend's post on his Instagram story, which included a video of Shua assisting a goal in their recent 3-1 victory and criticized the coach's decision to keep him on the bench. The post, which was deleted after about an hour and a half, surprised many players.

Sources close to Shua claim the player is "furious" and eager to play, stating he is fully fit and capable of playing 90 minutes. They assert that Shua's message to Cohen is clear: he is unwilling to start on the bench any longer and is frustrated by his recent lack of playing time over the past two weeks. Shua reportedly wants to start in the upcoming match against Hapoel Haifa.

Coach Cohen had previously explained in media interviews that he was integrating Shua back into the team gradually, citing the player's recent illness and injury. However, those around Shua dismissed these explanations as "confusing" and insisted that "ego games are over." They warned that if Shua is not reinstated into the starting lineup, it will negatively impact the team's locker room atmosphere.