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Maccabi Tel Aviv Struggles with Foreign Player Utilization Ahead of Season Start

How 3 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.

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What happened

Maccabi Tel Aviv's poor use of foreign players contributed to a 3-0 Europa League loss to CSKA Sofia, raising concerns about their season preparation. Their foreign players have only played 25% of total minutes, much less than other Israeli teams in Europe. Coach Steve Van Ahren must improve this ahead of the new season.

01Maccabi Tel Aviv lost 3-0 to CSKA Sofia in the Europa League qualifiers on August 10, 2026.
02Foreign players have only played 25% of Maccabi Tel Aviv's total minutes this season, the lowest among Israeli teams.
03Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva have higher foreign player usage at 58%, 43%, and 33% respectively.
04The Israeli Football Association allows teams to sign up to eight foreign players to boost European competition.
05Injuries and late signings partially explain low foreign player usage but do not fully justify the gap.
06Coach Steve Van Ahren faces pressure to improve foreign player integration before the season starts.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

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