Both aiming to reach the proper phase of UEFA's second-tier club competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Backa Topola will clash for the first leg of their Europa League playoff on Thursday night.
The Yellows are still getting accustomed to life under new management following the departure of an Irish legend, whilst the Serbians are looking to advance into the proper stage of the Europa League in consecutive years.
Match preview
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For the first time since a COVID-impacted 2019-20, Maccabi Tel Aviv lifted the Israeli Premier League title during the 2023-24 season, with a final tally of 85 points from 36 league contests enough to keep arch rivals Maccabi Haifa 11 points adrift in an unwanted second position.
The Yellows' hopes of continuing their positive momentum into 2024-25 from last term have been hindered slightly by a change in management over the summer break, with former Tottenham Hotspur and Ireland international Robbie Keane leaving his post at the Israeli champions.
Taking charge of Thursday's visitors Backa Topola for nearly three years between 2021 and June of this year, Zarko Lazetic is now at the helm of the Tel Aviv-based club and will be looking to secure a victory against his former employers at Haladas Stadion in Hungary on Thursday night.
The 42-year-old Serbian has enjoyed a three-game winning run at the start of his stint in charge of the Yellows, beating Lithuanian outfit Panevezys twice over a Europa League third-round qualifier earlier this month, before a 2-1 victory against Bnei Sakhnin in the Toto Cup.
Maccabi endured an eventful spell on the continental stage during the 2023-24 term, in which the Israelis successfully escaped their Europa Conference League section before suffering a 7-5 aggregate defeat to Greek giants Olympiacos in the round of 16.
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Courtesy of a third-placed finish in the 2023-24 Serbian Super Liga, ending up 21 points behind runaway leaders Red Star Belgrade, Backa Topola are competing in the Europa League in back-to-back years, hoping to emulate their European achievements of 12 months ago.
FK TSC featured in the group stage of a UEFA competition for the first time in history last term, bringing up the rear of a difficult Group A containing Europa Conference League holders West Ham United, Olympiacos and Bundesliga regulars Freiburg.
Having only clinched promotion from the second tier of Serbian football as recently as 2019, Backa Topola are punching above their weight as they prepare for another continental adventure, with Thursday's visitors winning just one of their 10 European matches to date.
Under the reign of former Dinamo Zagreb youth coach Dean Klafuric, TSC have endured a mixed start to their 2024-25 Super Liga season, collecting seven points from five top-flight matches, with Maccabi's opponents losing 1-0 at home to OFK Beograd on Friday night.
Backa Topola's only continental win arrived during their first-ever match on the European stage in the summer of 2020, when the Serbians beat Moldovan outfit Petrocub Hincesti 2-0 on the road.
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Team News
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Finding the net during the Toto Cup semi-final win over Bnei Sakhnin at the weekend, Eran Zahavi could keep his spot in the XI for Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday night.
Osher Davida also made the net ripple versus the top-tier mid-table dwellers, with the attacker likely to maintain his starting berth in midweek.
Despite naturally being a winger, Sagiv Yehezkel operated at right-back during the second-leg win over Panevezys earlier this month and could do the same at Haladas Stadion.
Already off the mark in the Serbian Super Liga this season, Bence Sos will be hoping to translate his domestic form onto the European stage for Backa Topola.
Aleksandar Cirkovic bagged 16 top-flight goals for FK TSC last season and could be a serious thorn in the side of Maccabi Tel Aviv over the two legs.
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Mishpati; Yehezkel, Nachimas, Shlomo, Davidzada; Peretz, Van Overeem, Kanichowsky; Davida, Turgeman, Layous
Backa Topola possible starting lineup:
Ilic; Krstic, Pejic, Vlalukin, Petrovic; Cvetkovic, Radin, Vulic, Dakovac; Cirkovic, Sos
We say: Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-1 Backa Topola
Maccabi have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2024-25 season and should be confident of continuing their rich vein of form against Backa Topola on Thursday night.
The Serbians are struggling to find consistency domestically, so we feel that they could be the victims of first-leg defeat in Hungary.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
