Maccabi Haifa Unveils Lineup With Five New Players Ahead of Season Opener Against Hapoel Ramat Gan

Maccabi Haifa is set to kick off the 2026/27 Israeli Premier League season on Saturday at 20:30 with a home game at Sammy Ofer Stadium against newly promoted Hapoel Ramat Gan, coached by former Haifa player Massai Dago. The stadium is expected to be nearly full for the match.

The team will feature five new starters: Nigel Lonwijk, Wanderson Tsunami, Yarin Levi, Bruninho, and Omri Glazer. Silva Kani will continue as a forward alongside Kenji Hura, with Kenny Saif surprisingly starting on the right wing. Saif and Hura will support the midfield trio of Bruninho, Eitan Azulai, and Yarin Levi, aiming to avoid the defensive vulnerabilities seen during Toto Cup matches.

Andrea Novakovic was registered with the football association just before the game and will be included in the squad for the first time, starting on the bench. Guy Melamed remains out of the squad after only recently returning to full training. Forward Adam Grimberg will play with the youth team against Hapoel Ra'anana to gain match fitness but is expected to join the senior team later if needed.

Video sessions ahead of the match emphasized Ramat Gan's pressing style and counterattacks led by Luan Campos and David Asenka. The coaching staff demands aggression and tactical discipline from the players, with the attack largely relying on Bruninho to lead the team.

Club officials stressed the importance of starting the season with a win, especially after the Toto Cup performances, saying, "Every game is important, but after the Toto Cup, we cannot start this season without a victory, especially at Sammy Ofer. A win will give us great confidence moving forward. We have worked on areas that were lacking in the Toto Cup and believe we can have a good season." The expected starting lineup is Omri Glazer; Yila Btayi, Pedro, Nigel Lonwijk, Tsunami; Yarin Levi, Eitan Azulai, Bruninho; Kenny Saif, Kenji Hura, and Silva Kani.