Beitar Jerusalem Plans Midfielder Release Amid Squad Adjustments After Penalty Shootout Win

Beitar Jerusalem is preparing to release midfielder Ailison Tavares to another Israeli Premier League club without a transfer fee, as he is not part of coach Almog Cohen's plans and is blocking the signing of a foreign midfielder. Tavares had an offer from Romanian side Dinamo Bucharest that did not materialize, while several Israeli clubs including Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Haifa, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Ironi Tiberias have shown interest. Once his departure is finalized, Beitar aims to sign a midfielder who can make a significant impact, targeting 6 to 8 new players overall.

Yesterday, Beitar Jerusalem won a penalty shootout against Hapoel Ramat Gan at the Rehovot Stadium, marking their third shootout this summer after a win over AEK Larnaca and a loss to Austria Vienna. The match featured a largely rotated squad, with key players like Yarden Shua, Miguel Silva, Sean Weissman, Yarden Cohen, and Brian Crabli watching from the stands, while starters Nana Antwi, Daniel Vercovic, Noam Motche, and Junbusco Kalu were on the bench. Despite the victory, the team remains concerned about conceding easy goals, including a major error by backup goalkeeper Yehonatan Ozer. Some players given opportunities, such as Nevo Shado, Tomer Yosefi, Timothy Muzi, and Eugene Ansa, underperformed, though Liel Deri stood out positively.

Coach Almog Cohen expressed mixed feelings, noting the team played good football with high tempo and valuable chances for less-used players but lamented the recurring need for penalty shootouts. Due to a postponed opening match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar will officially start the league against Maccabi Netanya in the second round. Cohen emphasized the need to improve defensive mistakes and highlighted the priority of signing a midfielder who can truly make a difference in the squad.