Maccabi Haifa Assesses Yila Btayi's Knee Injury After Toto Cup Win Over Bnei Sakhnin

Maccabi Haifa secured their second consecutive victory in the Toto Cup group stage on August 8, 2026, defeating Bnei Sakhnin 1-0 away and finishing third in their group. This match marked the first clean sheet for Haifa in the 2026/27 season, with effective defensive cooperation between Nigel Lonwijk and Tsunami. However, the team is now focused on the condition of Belgian defender Yila Btayi, who suffered a knee injury near halftime. Btayi was bandaged on the field and is expected to undergo further evaluation within 24 hours. The medical staff's initial assessment suggests the injury is not severe.

Coach Barak Bachar gave credit to Iyad Khalaily, who started as a right winger before moving to right back, and Silva Cani, who played as a lone striker and scored the winning goal. Both players were praised for their work rate and pressure on opponents, qualities that had been lacking. Manuel Benson made his return after over three months off due to injury, showing promising signs but still needing time to regain full fitness. Meanwhile, American-Serbian forward Andrea Novakovich remained absent from the squad as he recovers from a virus but is expected to return for the next match.

Overall, Maccabi Haifa expressed satisfaction with their progress, emphasizing that these victories are building confidence ahead of the league season. The team aims to continue improving, maintain clean sheets, and play attractive football while securing positive results.