Maccabi Tel Aviv Midfielder Itamar Noy Vows to Overcome 3-0 Deficit Against CSKA Sofia

Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 3-0 defeat to CSKA Sofia on Thursday in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League qualifying tie, putting the Israeli club at risk of dropping to the Conference League. Following the match, midfielder Itamar Noy acknowledged the disappointing result but emphasized that the tie is far from over. "As Kenny said after the game, this story is definitely not finished, although we left ourselves a big mountain to climb," Noy said. "We know very well that we are capable of much more than what we showed on the pitch today."

Noy expressed confidence in the team's ability to bounce back in the second leg, which will be played next week in Sofia in front of a nearly full stadium. He noted the challenge of playing in an almost empty stadium at home but expects a difficult atmosphere in Bulgaria. "We fully understand that we face a tough field and a challenging atmosphere there," he said.

Despite the setback, Noy remains optimistic about the team's chances. "I truly believe we can come next week and achieve a good result," he concluded. The second leg will be crucial for Maccabi Tel Aviv as they attempt to overturn the three-goal deficit and advance in the Europa League qualifiers.