Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Mixed Reception Ahead of Poland Training Camp

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is intensifying preparations for the UEFA Champions League qualifiers with a training camp set to begin Monday in Poland. Due to security concerns in Israel, the Israeli champions will host their European home matches in Hungary. However, their presence in Poland has sparked controversy, as indicated by remarks from Legia Warsaw coach Marek Poposz ahead of a friendly match between the teams. In an interview on Legia Warsaw's official website, Poposz questioned the Polish authorities' approval of the Israeli team's stay and who is financing it, though he emphasized that sport should remain separate from politics and acknowledged the practical need for quality opponents.

The friendly against Legia Warsaw is scheduled for Tuesday, following a match against Cyprus's Omonia Nicosia on Sunday. Hapoel Be'er Sheva will travel without their captain and veteran defender Miguel Vitor, who remains in Israel and has not yet signed a contract extension amid declining status over recent years. Foreign players Kings Kangwa and Lucas Ventura are expected to join the camp directly.

In the Champions League qualifiers, Hapoel Be'er Sheva will face the winner of the first-round tie between Iceland's Vikingur and Hungary's Győr in the second qualifying round, with matches on July 21 or 22 and the return leg a week later. Advancing would place them unseeded in the third qualifying round, likely against a strong opponent. If eliminated, they will drop to the Europa League third qualifying round, and a further loss would send them to the Conference League. Additionally, they are set to play Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Super Cup on July 16.