Hapoel Be'er Sheva Arrives in Baku Ahead of Crucial Champions League Qualifier

Hapoel Be'er Sheva landed early Sunday morning in Baku, Azerbaijan, preparing for their decisive Champions League qualifier against Sabah on Tuesday at 19:45 local time. The team experienced an unusual delay of nearly an hour before takeoff, caused by a logistics truck stuck near the plane, preventing it from reaching the runway. This followed a similar delay on their return flight from Bucharest last Thursday, which was due to a sudden strike by Ben Gurion Airport workers.

After a flight lasting approximately two hours and forty minutes, the plane arrived at Baku International Airport just before 3:00 AM local time. Entry into Azerbaijan was smooth for most players, except for Senegalese defender Jibril Diop, who was briefly held for visa processing. The team then traveled to their hotel in central Baku and planned their first training session for the evening at a local facility. Their final practice, scheduled for Monday, will take place at the stadium where the match will be held. A victory could see Hapoel Be'er Sheva qualify for the Champions League group stage for the first time in their history.

This trip marks the 13th flight for the team in the past month and a half, including round trips to their training camp in Poland and other away matches in the qualifiers. Before departure, some players watched a live Israeli Premier League match on their phones. Among those on the flight was Eliyahu Bergman, a well-known longtime fan who joined as a team mascot. Bergman expressed strong faith in the team's chances, recalling his last overseas match experience three years ago and encouraging the players to believe in themselves.

Upon arrival, local young entrepreneurs greeted the team, holding framed photos of the players in hopes of selling them back to the club's stars. The team now focuses on their upcoming match that could mark a historic milestone for the club.