Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C.

Bnei Yehuda
Full name Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
Football Club
Nickname(s) HaShkhuna (The Neighbourhood),
HaZehuvim (The Goldens), "HaArayot (The Lions).
Founded 1936
Ground Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv-Yafo
(Capacity: 17,500)
Chairman Moshe Damaio
Manager Yossi Abukasis
League Israeli Premier League
2010–11 4th
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours

Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל בני יהודה תל אביב‎, Moadon Kaduregel Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv), commonly known as just Bnei Yehuda, is an Israeli football club from the Hatikva Quarter of Tel Aviv. The club is currently a member of the Israeli Premier League and plays its home matches at Bloomfield Stadium.

Contents

History

The club was formed in January 1936 by Nathan Sulami and his friends.[1] They were first promoted to the top division in 1959. Two seasons later they narrowly avoided relegation, finishing second from bottom. In 1965 the club reached the State Cup final for the first time, but lost 2–1 to Maccabi Tel Aviv.[2] In 1968 they reached the final again, this time beating Hapoel Petah Tikva to claim their first piece of major silverware.

After several near-misses, the club was relegated at the end of the 1971–72 season after finishing second from bottom. However, they made an immediate return as Liga Alef champions but were relegated again in 1976. In the 1977–78 season the club were promoted back to the top division as Liga Artzit champions, and also reached the State Cup final, where they lost 2–1 to Maccabi Netanya. The following season the club finished fourth in Liga Leumit.

The 1980–81 season was the club's best so far. Managed by Shlomo Sharf they finished second in the league and reached the cup final again, this time beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 4–3 after a penalty shootout. However, the success was not maintained, and they were relegated at the end of the 1983–84 season.

The club made an immediate return as Liga Artzit champions and finished second in 1986–87. The 1989–90 season saw the club win its first, and to date only, championship under the leadership of Giora Spiegel. Two seasons later they won the Toto Cup for the first time, repeating the feat in 1997.

The 2000–01 season saw Bnei Yehuda finish second from bottom of the Premier League (which had replaced Liga Leumit as the top division) and the club was relegated. However, they made an immediate return as Liga Leumit runners-up.[3] The club have remained in the Premier League since. In 2005–06 they reached the cup final, losing 1–0 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, but also qualifying for Europe for the first time. In the 2006–07 UEFA Cup they lost 6–0 on aggregate to Lokomotiv Sofia and had to play their home match in Senec in Slovakia due to security concerns.[4]

In the 2009–10 season Bnei Yehuda reached the Europa League play-off, after starting in the first qualifying round, but lost to PSV 2–0 on aggregate. the following season they reached the second qualifying round of the Europa League, but lost to Shamrock Rovers.

Stadium

For most of its existence, Bnei Yehuda played at the Hatikva Neighborhood Stadium in the Hatikva Quarter of Tel Aviv. However, in 2004 the team moved their home matches to the Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, though the club offices, the team's practice grounds and most activities within the club are still held in the Hatikva stadium.

European Cups History

UEFA Cup / Europa League:

Season Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate
2006–07 Q2 Lokomotiv Sofia 0–2 0–4 0–6
2009–10 Q1 Simurq PFC 3–0 1–0 4–0
Q2 Dinaburg Daugavpils 4–0 1–0 5–0
Q3 Paços Ferreira 1–0 1–0 2–0
Play-off PSV 0–1 0–1 0–2
2010–11 Q1 Ulisses 1–0 0–0 1–0
Q2 Shamrock Rovers 1–1 0–1 1–2
2011–12 Q2 UE Sant Julià 2–0 2–0 4–0
Q3 Helsingborgs IF 1–0 0-3 1-3

Current squad

As of 29 December, 2010

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Dele Aiyenugba
4 DF Dan Mori
6 DF Gal Cohen
7 MF Oz Raly
8 FW Dino Ndlovu
9 MF George Imses
10 MF Ben Yosef Zairi
11 FW Pini Balili
12 MF Yisrael Zaguri
13 DF Nizan Aharonovich
14 MF Amir Agajev
15 MF Hasan Abu-Zaid
16 MF Kęstutis Ivaškevičius
No. Position Player
17 DF Itzik Azuz
18 MF Lior Bargig
19 FW Nenad Marinković
20 MF Pedro Galván
21 DF Aviv Hadad
22 GK Tom Almadon
23 MF Kfir Edri (captain)
25 MF Shlomi Levi
26 MF Shalev Menashe
27 FW Gil Itzhak
29 MF Stav Finish
33 GK Itamar Israeli

Honours

References

External links