Hapoel Be'er Sheva Seeks Redemption in Champions League Playoffs a Decade Later

Hapoel Be'er Sheva faces Sabah FC in the upcoming Champions League playoff matches, echoing a pivotal moment from a decade ago when the club first reached this stage. In August 2016, following their first championship under coach Barak Bakhar, Be'er Sheva advanced through early qualifying rounds and faced Olympiacos, a team similar to Red Star Belgrade, which they recently bypassed. Their ultimate challenge was a two-legged tie against Celtic, a club returning to the competition after years of absence.

The first leg in Glasgow was a harsh lesson, with Be'er Sheva trailing 0-3 at halftime and eventually losing 2-5 despite goals from Brazilian striker Lucio and Maor Melikson. Melikson later admitted the comeback seemed nearly impossible. The return leg in Be'er Sheva was a different story, with the team winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Ben Sahar and Ovidiu Hoban, but missing a crucial third goal that would have secured historic qualification. Despite the victory, the dream of Champions League group stage participation slipped away, a fate repeated the following year against Maribor.

This decade-old quest remains the club's most significant challenge under owner Alona Barkat. Now, as they prepare to host Sabah FC, Hapoel Be'er Sheva aims to reverse past disappointments and secure a vital win to advance to the group stage. The memory of the 2016 defeat in Glasgow serves as motivation to finally achieve their long-standing goal in European football.