Hapoel Be'er Sheva Aims for Historic Champions League Qualification in Baku

Hapoel Be'er Sheva stands on the brink of a historic qualification to the UEFA Champions League. On Tuesday evening at 19:45, the team will play the second leg against Azerbaijan's Sabah FK in Baku, following a 2-1 victory in the first leg held in Bucharest. Around 600 fans have traveled to Baku, bringing vibrant support and the club's unique spirit to the Azerbaijani capital.

The fans often use the phrase "Ama Ya'amik," reflecting cautious optimism without raising expectations to avoid jinxing the outcome. Ron Bashani, a devoted fan currently in Baku, described the moment as "being 90 minutes away from Champions League qualification, something unimaginable 20 years ago." Ron and his father Michel, who came from different parts of the world, Michel from Be'er Sheva and Ron from Orange County, USA, attended the first match in Bucharest and plan to attend the decisive game in Baku.

In a unique show of support, Michel dressed as garlic and Ron as a black cat during the first match, aiming to break the team's recent streak of bad luck. Ron explained that since moving to the US, the team had lost every game he attended, so they adopted these costumes to reverse the "jinx." Michel reflected on the significance of this moment, recalling past near-misses in 2016 and emphasizing that this might be his last chance to witness the club reach such heights. Between the two legs, they toured Europe, even attending a match of Hapoel Tel Aviv in Bergamo to support Israeli players abroad.

Michel expressed hope that their costumes would bring luck again in the second leg, saying, "With God's help, we hope the cat and garlic will do their job. I'm excited and hope I can handle the moment." The match in Baku represents a pivotal moment for Hapoel Be'er Sheva as they seek to make club history by qualifying for Europe's premier club competition for the first time.