Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
After failing to impress in back-to-back losses to Feyenoord, Union Berlin will be aiming to keep their knockout stages hopes alive when they take on Maccabi Haifa at Sammy Ofer Stadium on Thursday. The Bundesliga side face a must-win situation, and they have no other choice but to go all guns blazing at the Israelis. Both Trimmel and Teuchert are banned for the match, while the likes of Behrens and Jaeckel have been tested positive for coronavirus.
Maccabi Haifa, on the other hand, aim to bounce back from a 1-0 loss to Slavia Prague, and seeing that they are desperate to pick up all three points from the match as well, both teams to score betting option should be considered. The good news for the hosts is that talented midfielder Maor Levi has overcome his injury.
Highlighted Player (Eitan Tibi):
Eitan Tibi is a profesional footballer who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv. Born in Jerusalem on 16 November, 1987, Tibi started his senior career at his hometown club Beitar Jerusalem. After ending his spell with Beitar in 2010 he moved to Charleroi and it has to be noted that the made nine league appearances for the Belgium outfit in the 2010/2011 season.
The Israeli defender then returned to his homeland, signing a contract with Ironi Kiryat Shmona, but he spent no more than one season at the club. In the summer of 2012 he signed a three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv and he has been playing for the club ever since. His main position is centre back, but he is capable of playing as a left back as well.
In 2012 Eitan Tibi made his Israel debut against Czech Republic and he has established himself as a first-team regular. He started the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Italy, but Israel suffered a 3-1 loss to Giampiero Ventura’s troops in their opener.
Highlighted Team (Union Berlin):
Union Berlin are a German football club originally founded back in 1906. Die Eisernen play home games at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei which can hold up to 22,012 spectators. Union Berlin’s home kit is red, with the team wearing white shirts and white shorts on the travels.
Union Berlin finished the 1923 domestic campaign as runners-up, with the team suffering a 3-0 loss to Hamburger SV in the title game. Speaking of the club’s biggest success in the German Cup, die Eisernen made it to the final of the competition in the 2000/2001 season. Schalke, though, proved to be a big catch for Union Berlin in the decider, with Jorg Bohme scoring a brace for die Knappen (2-0).
Union Berlin will face their local rivals Hertha in the 2019/2020 Bundesliga season as they secured promotion to the German top flight, but Hansa Rostock are considered the club’s main rivals.