Maccabi Netanya Awaits Disciplinary Ruling, Welcomes Player Returns

Maccabi Netanya is awaiting a disciplinary decision regarding Hapoel Petah Tikva's fielding of an ineligible player, with the club confident the ruling will result in a technical loss for their opponent. Despite dominating possession more than in any other game in the last five years, Netanya has struggled to convert this advantage into wins, accumulating only 6 points from a possible 18. The team's defense has shown improvement, and the pace of play is higher, with new foreign signings Olivier Verdon, Isaac de Lima, Eyalon Almog, and Gabriel Simon adding significant value. Giorgi Morozov was unavailable for the recent match, with Amit Cohen and Beni Feldman filling in at fullback. The club anticipates a stronger performance once Maor Levy recovers from injury and Dolav Haziza is fully fit. Haziza is set to return to the squad for the upcoming match against Kiryat Shmona, meaning another player will be left out of the 20-man roster, joining Omri Shamir and Morozov.

In administrative news, Maccabi Netanya is still searching for a new CEO. Owner Ross Kassin and his associates approached a senior industry figure who declined the offer, and an attempt to recruit a candidate from abroad was also unsuccessful. Kassin continues his search to replace Gil Lev. Separately, fans reported an incident where a steward allegedly assaulted a supporter, with video evidence submitted to the league management and the police.

Player Alon Azugi commented on the team's performance, stating, "In terms of football, we are playing good football. Unfortunately, there was bad luck and the ball didn't go in. I believe in our team and everyone here. I have no doubt we will look better." He added that the team aims to control games and be a winning side, acknowledging the difficulty in creating chances against defensive opponents and the need to work on creativity.