Former Maccabi Assistant Coach Recalls Hostile Rivalry With Hapoel Tel Aviv

Josep Maria Berrocal, former assistant coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, spoke in a recent interview with Spain's ElTriplazoTV about his turbulent time with the team during 2023 and 2024. Despite Maccabi coming close to reaching the Final Four in both years, the ongoing conflict and war led to the breakup of the team and the departure of key players and staff, including Berrocal himself.

Berrocal highlighted the intense rivalry with Hapoel Tel Aviv, recalling that while they often trained at Hapoel's arena, his car tires were slashed twice. He also mentioned the difficulty his wife faced leaving the arena after Maccabi won the championship due to hostile fans. Despite these challenges, Berrocal praised the atmosphere at the Menora Mivtachim Arena, calling it the best he had ever experienced, even comparing it favorably to venues like Barcelona, Panathinaikos, and Vitoria.

He described the pressure of playing against Hapoel Tel Aviv and the heated debates within the coaching staff about player selections, noting that disagreements often became extreme. Berrocal recalled that upon his arrival in Israel, the coaching team frequently had conflicting opinions, sometimes four different views among three coaches.

The interview sheds light on the passionate basketball culture in Israel and the intense dynamics behind the scenes during a difficult period for Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball.