Maccabi Haifa Defender Pedrão Suffers Minor Groin Tear Ahead of Derby Match

Maccabi Haifa's Brazilian defender Pedrão has been diagnosed with a small tear in his groin muscle following a friendly match against Hapoel Kfar Saba. The injury emerged just as the club hoped he would return to action and participate in Toto Cup games. Pedrão recently recovered from a long-term injury that sidelined him for most of last season and was undergoing rehabilitation again. The club intends to loan him to another team, but if no suitable club is found before the transfer window closes, he may be released or frozen out of the squad.

Pedrão was expected to start alongside Noam Shtiefman and Sean Goldberg in the central defense for the upcoming derby against Hapoel Haifa on Saturday at 20:30. His absence forces coach Barak Bachar to consider replacements, with Goni Naor likely to fill the position. Additionally, Zohar Zasno is set to start instead of the injured Yila Betay, while Omri Glazer will make a renewed debut for Maccabi Haifa. Yarin Levi and Eitan Azoulay are also expected to be in the starting lineup.

In the attacking lineup, new signing Yair Mordechai and the new captain Kanji Gura were tested in training, alongside Iyad Khalili and Adam Grimberg, who are also contenders for the starting eleven. The club is managing the squad carefully as it prepares for the derby match amid Pedrão's setback.