Kiryat Shmona Coach Shay Barda Prepares for Season Opener Against Maccabi Petah Tikva

The Israeli Premier League football season is set to begin this weekend, with one of the opening matches featuring Kiryat Shmona visiting Maccabi Petah Tikva. Ahead of the game, Kiryat Shmona's coach Shay Barda shared his thoughts on the upcoming season and the challenges ahead. Barda expressed his hunger and motivation as he enters his fourth year with the club, emphasizing the need to improve on past performances despite previous successes such as four wins and a semi-final appearance. He highlighted the strong teamwork in managing player departures, noting that losing a key player like Martins is part of the game but the club has handled replacements well.

Regarding the match against Maccabi Petah Tikva, Barda stated that the team has thoroughly studied their opponents and is focusing on their own performance. He recalled positive memories from playing there and acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming game for both sides. On the season’s objectives, Barda took a pragmatic approach, noting that six teams have large budgets and usually dominate the playoffs, so aiming for the upper playoff is not the primary goal. Instead, the focus is on achieving a stable and successful season.

Additionally, Kiryat Shmona CEO Yossi Edri addressed rumors about player Ogrisa, clarifying that no player stays at the club against their will. He praised Ogrisa’s outstanding season and mentioned a release clause of 400,000 euros, which has not been triggered by any offers so far. Edri indicated that if such an offer arrives, the club would consider it. Fans and viewers were invited to watch Barda’s full interview via a live video broadcast.