Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Team Faces Internal Discord

Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team has returned to its base in Sofia, Bulgaria, after a five-day stay in Israel. The team is preparing for a EuroLeague game against Bayern Munich on Thursday. Following that game, a reduced squad will travel to Hadera for the Winner Cup quarterfinals the following Saturday, facing the winner of a match between Maccabi Rishon LeZion and Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

On Friday, the team held a video briefing and meeting after a significant loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Super Cup derby. Initially scheduled for 8 a.m., the team meeting was postponed to noon. Officially, the team cited logistical reasons for the short notice. However, sources suggest the delay was due to EuroLeague Players Association rules, which prohibit team activities before noon on the day after a game, a fact confirmed by the association. The team's coach, Dimitris Itoudis, had planned the early meeting.

During the rescheduled meeting, the postponement of the session was discussed, leading to raised voices. One player commented, "We need to get past this quickly; this is not how the season starts. Things are coming out of closed rooms, and we haven't even been in the season for a month." The EuroLeague Players Association confirmed its rules regarding rest periods for players after official games, emphasizing the physiological need for adequate recovery.