Hapoel Be'er Sheva Drops to Europa League Group Stage with Potential High-Profile Opponents
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
After a 5-2 loss to Sabah, Hapoel Be'er Sheva drops from the Champions League to the Europa League group stage, where they could face top clubs like AC Milan and Juventus. The group stage draw is set for Friday, with matches starting mid-September and concluding in January 2027.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva lost 5-2 to Sabah and moves to the Europa League group stage.
- Be'er Sheva is placed in the fourth tier due to a low European ranking.
- Top-tier Europa League teams include AC Milan, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, and Olympiacos.
- Crystal Palace with Israeli Anan Khalaily and Portuguese Torreense are notable competitors.
- The Europa League group stage draw is Friday; matches run from September 16-17 to January 28, 2027.
- The Europa League final will be held May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva was defeated 5-2 by Sabah in Azerbaijan on Tuesday, ending their Champions League campaign and sending them to the Europa League group stage. The new Europa League format features 36 teams divided into four tiers, with Be'er Sheva placed in the lowest fourth tier due to their relatively low European ranking. The group stage draw will take place on Friday at 14:00, with the first round of matches scheduled for September 16-17 and the final round on January 28, 2027.
Top-tier teams confirmed for the Europa League group stage include Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiacos, and AZ Alkmaar. Other notable clubs waiting in the draw are Spanish sides Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad, French teams Marseille and Rennes, and German club Hoffenheim. Benfica is expected to join after their playoff match.
Israeli fans may be interested in the presence of Crystal Palace, featuring Israeli player Anan Khalaily, among the strong English teams in the competition. Additionally, Portuguese second-division side Torreense, which recently signed striker Karam Zoabi from Rio Ave, is in the fourth tier alongside Be'er Sheva. Another familiar opponent is Red Star Belgrade, eliminated by Be'er Sheva in the Champions League qualifiers and now facing Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League playoffs.
The Europa League format involves each team playing eight matches against two opponents from each tier, with four home and four away games. The top eight teams after eight rounds advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff to determine the remaining qualifiers. The final will be held on May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Centre 4Right 1
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
