“We created a level that they were not used to in Israel”

After the smoke of the celebrations cleared, Maccabi Haifa found time to hold a special event this evening (Wednesday) in which they launched the documentary album that summarizes their Champions League campaign. The unique album presents behind-the-scenes photos of the team in the European campaign taken by artist Micah Barkman and designed by designer Avishai Dotan.

Jacob Shahar, the president of Maccabi Haifa, made a speech during the event. “We did something here that had never happened in Israeli football, we created a level that they were not used to,” he said. “Thank you, thank you to the foreign players, without you we wouldn’t have gotten to this. I hope this is only part of the story, and that we have a long way to go to do beautiful things together.”

The president of the club continued: “This is an event that we planned many weeks ago, so I am very happy that we came here as champions. Many thanks to the players and the coaching staff who brought us this far and to the officials who helped them. I want to reveal something to you – Micah, who made the book, a Hapoel fan Haifa. Now I think it’s already green.”

“We are champions, a sign that we know how to play football, but we are also involved in many other things. For those who don’t remember, we received the president’s award for community activity three times, which is very flattering to us. We are a club that does a lot of things off the field and I, as the head of the organization, am very proud.” .

“I don’t want to bash, but it’s not that much, it’s the Champions League,” he added Itzik Ovadia, the CEO of the club. “Books, movies, this is a language that exists in the Champions League. Micah came up with the idea, it was very easy to connect with it. We were partners in the texts and a product came out that perfectly reflects this tremendous campaign. A different experience – and we wanted to share the special experience with as many people as possible. Anyone who knows this album will be able to truly feel the experience we had there, and I’m very happy about it.”

Ovadia was asked if there was a desire to document the event for the next generation and answered: “How did you send us 20 years ahead? We always want to make the Champions League, that’s one of our goals. It’s true that it’s a very high level, but we had a lot of fun. It’s definitely a special book in the way that The pictures were taken and the way it was written.”

When asked what moment he remembers most from the campaign, the CEO answered: “In the last year, you know, I talk less about football. also now. The synagogue in Italy on Yom Kippur, both the logistical organization and the class, it was very special. And of course the victory at home against Juventus which was a highlight of our campaign. And along the way we also did another small thing, we took a championship.”