Hapoel Be'er Sheva Coach Kozuch Expresses Confidence Ahead of Historic Champions League Playoff Against Sabah

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is set to face Azerbaijani champions Sabah in a crucial UEFA Champions League playoff match on Wednesday at 22:00 in Bucharest. This game represents a historic opportunity for Be'er Sheva, as victory would secure their participation in Europe's top club competition for the first time. Ahead of the match, the club held a traditional press conference featuring head coach Ran Kozuch and captain Miguel Vitor.

Kozuch described the moment as emotional and one of his career highlights, emphasizing the need for focus and a strong performance to take a favorable result into the second leg. He praised Sabah as a highly skilled and well-coached team, noting their speed and effectiveness in both open play and set pieces. Kozuch acknowledged the challenges his team faced early in the season, including a tough loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, but expressed unwavering belief in reaching this stage despite squad changes.

Regarding his players, Kozuch highlighted that they often do not receive the recognition they deserve and hopes the upcoming matches will showcase their quality. He also discussed the recent signing of Younes Melida, describing him as a player with potential who needs to prove himself and expressing optimism about his fit within the team. The coach noted excellent relations with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Melida's former club.

Captain Miguel Vitor shared his excitement about returning to this stage, recalling previous unsuccessful attempts and stressing the importance of defensive discipline and capitalizing on key moments. He expressed personal motivation to compete in such high-profile matches, which every player dreams of.

The expected lineup for the match includes Ofir Marciano, Guy Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, Itay Rotman, Pedro Amador, Lucas Ventura, Niv Yehoshua, Eliel Peretz, Javon East, Zahi Ahmed, and Igor Zlatanovic.