Looking to protect their healthy advantage gained during a one-sided first leg, Maccabi Tel Aviv will welcome Greek giants Olympiacos to Serbia's TSC Arena in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.
The Yellows have one foot in the quarter-finals following a standout performance last week, whereas Thrylos have a mountain to climb in Backa Topola to keep their continental hopes alive.
Match preview
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Continuing their impressive form against Greek opposition last Thursday, Maccabi Tel Aviv shocked Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki to win the first leg of this two-game contest 4-1, with a brace from Eran Zahavi - as well as strikes either side of the half-time whistle from Ido Shahar and Dor Peretz - securing an emphatic success on the road.
Holding the title of Israel's all-time leading goalscorer, 36-year-old Zahavi is also out to break Conference League records after being set up twice for goals by Milson last week, with the Yellows' captain currently at the head of the competition's striking charts with 12 goals in 13 matches this season.
Robbie Keane's men are also enjoying their football domestically, with a solitary Dan Biton goal on Sunday afternoon allowing Maccabi Tel Aviv to extend their winning run in the Israeli Premier League to four matches as they attempt to end the dominance of Maccabi Haifa over the past three years.
The handsome victory over Olympiacos in Piraeus was the Yellows' first win in the knockout stages of a European competition in seven attempts, and Thursday's hosts in Serbia will be keen to continue their good form as they move towards a first continental honour since they lifted the AFC Champions League in 1971.
Having joined the Tel Aviv club in June 2023, Tottenham Hotspur and Republic of Ireland legend Keane has won 33 of his 43 games in charge of the club across all competitions, with the 43-year-old's crop currently sitting five points clear in the race for the Israeli Premier League title.
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Faltering at a vital part of the campaign domestically and in Europe, Olympiacos have suffered two heavy defeats over the course of the past week, losing 4-1 in the first leg to Maccabi Tel Aviv on March 7 before losing important ground in the Greek Super League after being defeated 3-1 by Panathinaikos.
Supporters at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki on Sunday night were given a glimmer of hope for their clash against Fatih Terim's men as Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Daniel Podence put the hosts ahead, but a Fotis Ioannidis brace and Anastasios Bakasetas's third of the league term secured three points for the visitors.
After regularly featuring in the Champions League between 2020 and 2022, Thrylos are in danger of dropping out of European competition completely in 2024-25, with Thursday's visitors occupying fourth in the Super League standings, two points behind third-placed Panathinaikos.
A more convoluted way back onto the continental stage next season would involve winning this campaign's Conference League, and despite Maccabi possessing a three-goal advantage heading into the second leg, Olympiacos have a coach who has a recent history of remarkable triumphs in Europe.
Joining the club in February following the departure of Carlos Carvalhal, Jose Luis Mendilibar lifted the Europa League with seven-time winners Sevilla at the end of the 2022-23 season, beating heavyweights such as Manchester United, Juventus and Jose Mourinho's Roma en route to the trophy.
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Team News
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Despite netting the winner on the weekend, midfielder Biton could be forced to settle for a place on Maccabi Tel Aviv's bench in Europe once again.
Keane will not want to change much from the first-leg victory in Greece, meaning that Gabi Kanichowsky and Joris van Overeem should start in the engine room once again.
With an onslaught of pressure expected from the visitors, the Yellows' centre-back pairing of Enric Saborit and Idan Nachmias could be in for a busy evening.
Following the crushing first-leg defeat, Olympiacos could turn to their experienced heads in attack on Thursday, with ex-Manchester City man Stevan Jovetic potentially entering the starting XI.
Vicente Iborra lifted four Europa League trophies across his spells at Sevilla and Villarreal, with the 36-year-old's European knowhow a massive boost for the Greek outfit.
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Mishpati; Shahar, Nachmias, Saborit, Revivo; Van Overeem, Kanichowsky, Davida, Peretz, Milson; Zahavi
Olympiacos possible starting lineup:
Paschalakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega; Hezze, Iborra, Fortounis, Horta, Podence; El Kaabi
We say: Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-2 Olympiacos (Maccabi Tel Aviv win 7-3 on aggregate)
Possessing the competitions' leading goalscorer in their ranks, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be a serious threat for the visitors as they look to overturn a three-goal deficit on Thursday night.
Olympiacos are dipping in form at the worst time, and we reckon that they will be unable to win the battles in the both boxes at TSC Arena in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
