Maccabi Tel Aviv won its 58th championship on Tuesday night with a 3-1 series victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, then celebrated late into the night at the club’s traditional Restaurant 206. The title capped a turbulent season for the yellow team, and the club’s professional director Claudio Coldebella described it as one of the most demanding years he has experienced.
Coldebella said the team achieved its goals by winning both the league championship and the cup. "It was a crazy season," he said, adding that every day the club had to adjust, find new solutions and face constant challenges while trying to preserve the crowd’s energy. "We went through so many things this season... You have to be tough. Every thing is a challenge, that is what I like. I learned a lot from this season, I tried to stay positive and fight until the end." He said the campaign felt like "three seasons, not one."
CEO Avi Ben Tal also spoke at the celebration, calling it a special moment and his first championship as an executive after years as a fan in the stands or on the court. He said the club endured an unusually long and strange year, beginning without EuroLeague games in Israel, then moving to Belgrade before returning again to Israel. "A house of madness of a season," he said, noting that it ended well and praising the players, coach Oded Katash and the coaching staff.
The celebrations took place after the club secured the 58th title in its history, in a season that Ben Tal said was long, chaotic and ultimately successful.
