Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
Villarreal will try to keep their 100% record in Group C intact when they take on Hapoel Beer Sheva in the penultimate group game. The Yellows Submarine have already cemented top position in Group C, meaning that head coach Unai Emery is likely to rest key players this time out. All Kiko, Jackson, Danjuma, Pino, and Trigueros are pushing for a start, while Capoue, Foyth, Moreno, and Pedraza should miss out with injuries.
The Israelis, on the other hand, are still eyeing their first win of the process, and even though Villarreal will be without several first-team regulars in Thursday’s showdown, we are tempted to put our money on the La Liga outfit. As for the visiting side, Or Dadya remains in the recovery room, while Ramzi Safuri is back to contention after missing the 1-1 draw with Lech Poznan through injury.
Highlighted Player (Aissa Mandi):
Aissa Mandi is a product of Reims’ youth school. After playing eight matches for Reims II in the 2009/2010 season, he started playing for the first team in 2010. Mandi made his Reims debut against Le Havre on 20 August, 2010 and he remained at Stade Auguste Delaune until 30 June, 2016, when he decided to join Spanish side Real Betis.
The Algeria international, who was born in Chalons-en-Champagne, France, signed a five-year contract with los Beticos which expires on 30 June, 2021. His main position is centre back, but he is capable of playing as a full back as well. The right-footed defender made his Algeria debut on 5 March, 2014 and he helped the Algerian national team keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Slovenia.
Mandi impressed at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but he scored his first goal for Algeria in a 3-3 draw with Ethiopia in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He represented Algeria at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as well.
Highlighted Team (Hapoel Beer Sheva):
Hapoel Be'er Sheva are an Israeli football club based in Beersheba. The club was founded in 1949 and they play their home games at Turner Stadium. The capacity of the stadium is 16 126 and it was opened in September, 2015.
Hapoel wear red shirts and white shorts when playing on home soil and they play in blue shirts and black shorts on the travels. The club played their first game against Mefalsim and they defeated their opponents 5-4. Back then no more than five teams competed in the Israeli league and it has to be noted that the likes of Hapoel Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Kfar Saba and Hapoel Ramat Gan were other teams that participated in the league.
In 1975 Hapoel Be’er Sheva won their first Israeli Premier League trophy, with the team finishing the season three points clear of Maccabi Netanya. In the 2015/2016 season they won their third domestic trophy, leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv three points clear of them in the standings. Shalon Avitan is one of the most notable footballers who played for the club.