Hapoel Be'er Sheva Midfielders Out for Crucial European and League Matches

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the reigning Israeli champions, are still seeking their first win after three games as they prepare to host Greek side OFI Crete in Romania on Thursday at 10:00 PM for a European competition match. "We want to take more points and believe we can do it," a club spokesperson stated. "The goal is to play our best minutes for a longer period, and that will give us more chances."

However, the team faces a significant professional blow with the absence of key midfielders Lucas Ventura and Eliel Peretz. Both players have remained in Israel and will not only miss the European fixture but also the upcoming league game against Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday. This absence poses a challenge for coach the coach, who has managed to secure two recent victories without them against Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Petah Tikva.

The coach acknowledges that the match against Hapoel Tel Aviv will be on a different level, and his squad rotation options are limited. Players like Amankwah Forson and Niv Yehoshua, who are expected to play significant minutes in the European game, may be fatigued for the Sunday fixture at Turner Stadium. Zahi Ahmed is a potential starter in midfield, though the coach is considering Chamudi Kanaan for the third midfield spot to keep Ahmed fresh for the league game. In defense, Idan Nahmias is expected to replace Miguel Vítor, with a question mark over Itai Rotman potentially starting over Djibril Diaw. Striker Adrian Gricé, who scored his debut goal against Petah Tikva, is set to start up front, replacing Igor Zlatanović.

The projected starting lineup includes Ofir Marciano in goal, Guy Mzrahi, Idan Nahmias, Djibril Diaw (or Itai Rotman), and Matan Baltaxa in defense. The midfield will likely feature Niv Yehoshua, Amankwah Forson, and Zahi Ahmed (or Chamudi Kanaan). The attack is expected to consist of Amir Ganah, Mohamed Abu Rumi, and Adrian Gricé.