Hapoel Be'er Sheva returned to the Europa League main stage for the first time since 2020-21, and managed to start their campaign successfully with a 0-0 draw against Dinamo Zagreb.
The Israeli champions are facing a series of challenges this season. First of all, the tough competition. According to several simulation websites, Hapoel Be'er Sheva will have one of the most difficult schedules. Among their next opponents, they will play against Juventus, AZ, Union Saint-Gilloise, Celta Vigo and Bournemouth.
Moreover, the new format makes it a bit harder for the Israeli teams. In the last two seasons, Maccabi Tel Aviv was the only Israeli team to reach the league stage, as they won only 2 out of 16 matches. Last season they even finished in last place with a single point.
For Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the Europa League brings old and sweet memories. This week they marked 10 years since their Europa League group stage debut. In their first-ever match in this stage, the Israelis shocked Inter 2-0 in an away match at San Siro. Later they defeated them once again, and two more draws against Southampton made them reach the knockout stage.
Besides this challenge, Hapoel Be'er Sheva is facing a mental challenge, as they are reaching the Europa League after a hugely disappointing defeat against Sabah in the Champions League playoffs. In the second leg in Azerbaijan, Hapoel Be'er Sheva were 17 seconds away from qualifying, but a shocking goal by the hosts eventually ended with a defeat in extra time. "You mentioned the Inter game, but it was also after a defeat in the Champions League against Celtic," said captain Miguel Vitor, who was part of the club both now and then. "We have no choice but to stand up and move on," added manager Ran Kozuch in the press conference.
Maybe the main challenge that Hapoel Be'er Sheva will face this season is the fact that they are not playing at home. Since October 2023, no Israeli team has hosted on home soil. Hapoel Be'er Sheva decided to make Rapid-Giulești Stadium in Bucharest their home venue for the campaign. It's not only the lack of home atmosphere, as approximately a thousand fans travelled to the match. The Israelis are facing double the number of flights to make their campaign successful.
Back to the match on Wednesday, Hapoel Be'er Sheva can be proud of their opening match performance. "I think we had a great match and we need to improve our decision making," said Ran Kozuch in the press conference after the match. "We've been dominant against a decent European side, and we need to take that. We need to take the confidence and the belief in our ability to play at these levels."
After the international break, Hapoel Be'er Sheva will play two consecutive away matches in the Europa League against AZ and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva drew 0-0 at Dinamo Zagreb to open their Europa League return, ahead of a brutal schedule and no home matches this season.