Criticism Mounts Over Maccabi Tel Aviv's Handling of Roy Revivo Amid Team Struggles

Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 3-0 defeat against CSKA Sofia last Thursday in their home match held in Batumi, Georgia, which likely means the team will drop to the Conference League playoffs. There, they could face Swiss club Lugano, a potentially tougher challenge. Despite the sporting setback, recent attention has focused on the club's management of left-back Roy Revivo, who did not play in the match following discussions with coach Kenny Miller amid transfer interest from Spanish and other European clubs.

On the "Zion 3" sports program, commentators Yonatan Nimrodi, Moshe Ziat, and Itzik Shasho sharply criticized Maccabi Tel Aviv's handling of Revivo. Nimrodi said the club has known all summer that Revivo would leave and questioned why they failed to resolve his status sooner, such as renewing his contract, selling him earlier, or securing a replacement left-back. Ziat called the club's management "shameful," while Shasho described the situation as a "crazy spin."

Nimrodi emphasized that while Revivo is a talented player who contributed to past titles, the club must come first, and the team’s 3-0 loss shows it can survive without him. He also expressed skepticism about reports of a major Spanish club offer for Revivo, suggesting the interest might be from smaller teams like Elche, which he still considered a good move for the player. Nimrodi criticized the club for leaking information about offers and undervaluing Revivo, stating he should be sold for around 3 million euros or benched.

Further, Nimrodi condemned Maccabi Tel Aviv’s overall squad building this season, labeling the club as "complacent, lazy, or stingy" and accusing management of failing to strengthen the team adequately. He recalled his earlier warnings before a heavy 3-0 loss to Beersheba, criticizing the quality of new signings and the club’s approach to assembling the squad.