Several Key Players Suspended for Israeli Super Cup Clash Between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be’er Sheva

Ahead of the Israeli Super Cup match scheduled for Thursday at Turner Stadium, several players from Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be’er Sheva will be absent due to suspensions stemming from violent incidents at the State Cup final. The game, set for 19:30 and broadcast on Sport1, not only decides the Super Cup champion but also marks the start of the Toto Cup competition, with the losing team facing early elimination from both tournaments.

The disciplinary tribunal of the Israel Football Association is expected to approve plea agreements reached by the association’s prosecutor, Gilad Bergman, with both clubs. From Maccabi Tel Aviv, Christian Blitz, Tyrese Asante, and Elad Madmon will miss the match, while Kerwin Andrade, who received the harshest penalty, is currently not part of the team due to unrelated issues in Venezuela. Hapoel Be’er Sheva will be without Mohammed Abu Romi, Javon East, and Zahi Ahmed. Notably, Hamudi Kna’an’s suspension was significantly reduced to a one-match conditional ban, allowing him to be available for coach Ran Kojuch’s squad.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s team manager Yoav Ziv, whose initial six-month suspension was halved to three months, has already begun serving his ban starting July 1 and will be eligible to return on October 1. Consequently, Ziv will miss the Super Cup match and the first five Israeli Premier League games of the season, including key fixtures against Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and the first Tel Aviv derby.

Samir Farhoud, who received the severest punishment among Hapoel Be’er Sheva players, is not currently counted in the squad and thus will not affect the upcoming match. The disciplinary measures reflect the ongoing efforts to address violence in Israeli football following the 2026 State Cup final clash involving players from both teams, with Ziv notably central to the incident.