Mac TA Supporters

"Landep News"

Mac TA Supporters

The constant deterioration of relations between Israel and Turkey engulfs even the domain of sports, where soccer teams of the two countries are expected to meet in the opening of the E group of the European League. Thus, three Israeli teams will participate in the competition: Maccabi Haiffa will meet AEK Larnaca, Hapoel Tel Aviv will meet Romanian team Rapid Bucharest, and Maccabi Tel Aviv will meet Turkish Besiktas in Istanbul on Thursday night.

Israeli authorities have voiced fears that the security detail in place at the Inonu stadium of Besiktas Istanbul would not be able to contain the public from insulting, or even worse, attacking, the team members of Mac TA.

For that matter, extraordinary measures have been employed. About 2,500 police troops welcomed the team as it arrived on Turkish soil, and the police escort will be permanent for the duration of the 48-hour stay of the Israelis on Turkish territory.

The management of the team decided to take no chances and hired a private security company to protect the team, and demanded UEFA to send a representative to oversee the security precautions taken by the Turks.

The team members of Mac TA were instructed not to leave the hotel for any other business than the training session and the match itself, while the fans that came to Istanbul in spite of the warning issued by the National Security Council were told to take off the shirts and insignia that show them as Israeli supporters of the yellow-and-blue.

Upon arriving in Turkey, the coach of the Israeli team said that his team and himself were not interested in politics, and that they had come to Istanbul to play soccer.

He added that the team was not scared of anyone and that they were going to act normally, knowing that nothing bad can happen to them. Except for losing the game on the pitch, one may add.

The team players were not allowed to speak to the press, and one of them said he had wished things had been calmer, so that the talks be about soccer not about safety.

Besiktas Inonu Stadium

Besiktas management urged the Turkish fans not to cause any trouble at the stadium, and to show “hospitality” to Maccabi team. They warned that any inappropriate behavior would be sanctioned by the UEFA, and the team could even be disqualified on that count.

Israeli team is expected to be happy with a draw result, considering that Turkey has worldwide known stars in their team, and that some of the key players of Mac TA could not play because of injuries or red cards that kept them out of the field.

In group J, Israeli soccer star Ronny Levy is coaching the Romanian flag  team Steaua Bucharest, which plays against the famous German team Schalke 04.

Hapoel meets Rapid Bucharest, about which the Israeli coach said it was a disciplined and strong team. He said Hapoel enters the play with the aim of winning, and that is exactly what it will do Thursday night.

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