European Media Astonished by Maccabi Tel Aviv's Poor EuroLeague Start

Maccabi Tel Aviv has begun its EuroLeague season with a disappointing 0-2 record after two significant losses to ASVEL Villeurbanne and Besiktas. The team's early struggles have drawn surprise and commentary from European sports media, particularly in Turkey.

Spanish journalist Gerard Solé of DAZN noted the stark contrast between Maccabi's performance and other teams' situations, stating, "But what is happening at Maccabi, that's another league. What drama. Already at 2-0 after a one-sided loss to Besiktas." He highlighted the team's unexpected early deficit.

Turkish media outlets celebrated Besiktas's victories, with TRT Spor reporting on the team's critical win and noting that, similar to Anadolu Efes's record-breaking three-point performance against Maccabi, Besiktas also hit 17 threes, setting a club record for points in a EuroLeague game against what they described as Maccabi's "easy defense."

Further commentary from Turkish sources like pianetabasket described Besiktas's dominant performance, emphasizing their control of the game's pace, physicality, and accuracy for the entire forty minutes. Mackolik reported that Besiktas easily defeated Maccabi, breaking club scoring records in the process. Turkish reporter Ferhat Yilmaz added that the victory was immensely valuable for Besiktas, boosting their confidence and sending a clear message to rivals, even noting that some Maccabi fans in the stands cheered at moments.