Israeli Soccer League Shows Growing Divide Between Top Teams and Rest
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
The Israeli Premier League is increasingly divided between five top clubs and the rest, with playoff qualification reflecting this reality. Hapoel Tel Aviv's coach Eliniv Barda is lauded for his team-building and faith in young striker Daniel Dafa. Ironi Tiberias is highlighted for its on-field resilience despite off-field controversies. Other notable mentions include player Elad Madmon's improved form and coach Yossi Abuksis's success with Bnei Sakhnin.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli soccer league shows growing gap between top 5 clubs and the rest.
- Coach Eliniv Barda praised for making Hapoel Tel Aviv difficult to defeat.
- Young striker Daniel Dafa shows promise under coach Barda's guidance.
- Ironi Tiberias displays remarkable resilience despite numerous off-field issues.
- Elad Madmon's recent performances suggest he is finding his form.
- Bnei Sakhnin and coach Yossi Abuksis are in strong recent form.
The Israeli Premier League season is highlighting a widening gap between the traditional "big five" clubs, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Beitar Jerusalem, and the remaining nine teams. These top clubs possess deeper, more talented squads, making it clear they will compete for the championship and European spots. The article notes that even promising players from the "second league" struggle to secure starting positions on these elite teams. This division creates two distinct leagues, with the top tier competing for titles and the lower tier experiencing highly unpredictable results among themselves, often suffering heavy defeats against the top five. The playoff system, while potentially problematic sportingly, accurately reflects this reality.
Eliniv Barda, Hapoel Tel Aviv's coach for three seasons, is praised for his ability to unite a team and make them difficult to defeat. His greatest achievement may be his belief in 18-year-old striker Daniel Dafa, who has shown improvement this season with five goals across competitions after a difficult start. Barda's patience with Dafa suggests he sees long-term potential where others have been critical.
Ironi Tiberias is presented as an anomaly, a team that consistently overcomes significant off-field challenges, including point deductions, player investigations, frozen accounts, and owner arrests, to remain competitive. While their on-field resilience is inspiring, the article questions the integrity of the club due to alleged off-the-books dealings and questionable individuals involved, raising doubts about their place in Israeli football.
Other notable mentions include Elad Madmon, whose recent performances suggest he might be finding his form, and Maccabi Netanya's coach Roni Levy, whose team's draw against Tiberias is seen as a missed opportunity. Yannick Leliendal is highlighted as a foreign player who immediately proved his worth to Hapoel Tel Aviv, scoring and assisting within his first few minutes. Oz Bilu of Maccabi Netanya scored the "goal of the week" with a skillful volley. Finally, Bnei Sakhnin and their coach Yossi Abuksis are recognized for their recent strong form, including a draw against Maccabi Tel Aviv, suggesting a well-drilled team capable of challenging.
The article also touches on the struggles of Hapoel Jerusalem, who lost 3-0 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, breaking a three-game streak without scoring against them at their home stadium. Omri Altman was the last player to score for Hapoel Tel Aviv at Teddy Stadium before this match.
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