Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Pressure to Strengthen After Heavy Loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is grappling with disappointment following a 3-1 defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Aluf HaAlufim (Champion of Champions) match. Last season, Be'er Sheva had beaten Maccabi Tel Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium in the same fixture, a victory that paved their way to the championship title. However, this time the team, coached by Ran Kozuch, failed to show up effectively and lost their chance to win the Toto Cup as well.

Despite finishing last season as champions, Be'er Sheva has suffered three significant defeats since securing the title: a 5-1 loss to Maccabi Haifa in the league, a 2-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the State Cup final that denied them a double, and the recent painful loss. Kozuch expressed his disappointment with the team's defensive performance and overall effort, apologizing to the fans and emphasizing the need to learn from the experience.

Defender Miguel Vitor also voiced regret, stating the team must improve and focus on their upcoming European campaign. On Saturday, Be'er Sheva will fly to Iceland to face Vikingur Reykjavik in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. Vikingur recently eliminated Hungarian champions Győr in the first round. Advancing past the Icelandic team would bring Be'er Sheva two rounds away from Champions League group stage qualification, or at least secure European competition in the Europa League or Conference League.

The recent match was one of the worst under Kozuch's tenure, with several players absent due to involvement in a violent brawl after the State Cup final. Midfielder Mohammad Abu Rumi and defender Jibril Diop are expected to start in the upcoming European match. Notably, Be'er Sheva started the game without any new signings, though substitutes Niv Yehoshua and João Victor (the club's major signing this season) appeared in the second half. João Victor suffered a hamstring injury and will be assessed before the Iceland trip, with his participation uncertain.

The poor performance has prompted the club's management and coaching staff to consider signing two additional foreign players, likely a defender and a left-back. The match atmosphere was tense, with some Be'er Sheva fans throwing objects onto the pitch, including a cup that struck Maccabi Tel Aviv player Ohad Davida, who responded by gesturing toward the fans. The club is expected to face disciplinary action for these incidents.