Maccabi Tel Aviv GM Believes Team Can Reach Final Four If Allowed to Play at Home
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Maccabi Tel Aviv General Manager Claudio Coldebella believes the team can reach the EuroLeague Final Four if they are allowed to play their home games in Israel again. Coldebella described Tel Aviv positively and refuted negative perceptions of the city. He highlighted the significant disadvantage the team faces by playing all its EuroLeague games abroad due to the ongoing conflict, impacting their performance and the league's product.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Tel Aviv GM Claudio Coldebella believes the team can reach the Final Four if they play at home.
- Coldebella described Tel Aviv as a beautiful city, comparing it to Miami and New York.
- The team's biggest challenge is playing EuroLeague games outside of Israel due to constant travel.
- Coldebella stated that playing in Belgrade is unfair and diminishes the EuroLeague product.
- He considers Maccabi Tel Aviv one of the four greatest historical teams in European basketball.
- Coldebella predicted Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, and Panathinaikos for the Final Four, with Maccabi as a potential fourth.
Claudio Coldebella, the General Manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv, expressed his hope that the team will soon be able to host its EuroLeague games in Israel again. In an interview published in Italy, Coldebella, who has lived in Tel Aviv since taking his role in 2025, refuted the notion that the city is "fortified," describing it instead as beautiful and comparable to a mix of Miami and New York.
He argued that the team's biggest challenge stems from being forced to play its EuroLeague games outside of Israel, leading to constant travel and a disadvantage compared to opponents who can return home to train. Coldebella stated that playing in Belgrade is unfair and diminishes the EuroLeague product, contrasting it with the full house of 11,000 fans at a recent Israeli League game in Tel Aviv. He emphasized that Maccabi has always been "the people's team" and that playing at home gives them a significant advantage.
Coldebella also addressed the question of an Israeli team participating in the EuroLeague, noting that geographical definitions are complex and that Maccabi has a long history in the competition. He considers Maccabi Tel Aviv one of the four greatest historical and legendary teams in Europe, alongside Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and CSKA Moscow.
Looking ahead, Coldebella predicted Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, and Panathinaikos for the Final Four, leaving the fourth spot open for Maccabi "if, as I hope, we return to play at home." He also commented on opponents, calling Milan's squad one of the best in Europe and Virtus Bologna exciting for its distinct philosophy.
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