Eran Zahavi

Eran Zahavi

Eran Zahavi
Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-07-25) 25 July 1987
Place of birth	Rishon LeZion, Israel
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	Maccabi Tel Aviv
Number	7
Youth career
1993–2003	Hapoel Tel Aviv
2003–2005	Ironi Rishon LeZion
2005–2006	Hapoel Tel Aviv
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2006–2011	Hapoel Tel Aviv	94	(27)
2007–2008	→ Ironi Ramat HaSharon (loan)	45	(9)
2011–2013	Palermo	23	(2)
2013–	Maccabi Tel Aviv	29	(17)
National team‡
2008	Israel U21	1	(0)
2010–	Israel	17	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 November 2013. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 October 2013

Eran Zahavi (Hebrew: ערן זהבי‎; born 25 July 1987 in Rishon LeZion) is an Israeli footballer who plays as a Midfielder for Israel Premier League club Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israel national team.

Club career

Hapoel Tel Aviv

Zahavi playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv, 2010

A Hapoel Tel Aviv youth product, he was promoted into the first team in 2006 and won the Israel State Cup and the championship title after a dramatic match against the fierce rival Beitar Jerusalem in which Zahavi scored at the 92nd minute of extra time. Zahavi was reported to have garnered interest from clubs in Belgium during the 2009–10 season. Zahavi has a French passport which would mean that he would not count as a foreigner in many European leagues.^[1] This interest may increase in the months to come as Zahavi scored two goals against Portuguese team S.L. Benfica in a glorious 3–0 victory in the group stage of the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League on 24 November 2010, and scored a bicycle kick goal against Olympique Lyonnais on 7 December 2010. Zahavi is known for his exaltation in important and big games (Such as goal for Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon that saved the team at the second division at the last minute of the league; championship goal at the last minute of the league; a goal against Red Bull Zalzburg that gave hapoel the card for the Champions League; a winner in 2 Derbis and at the "game of the season" against Maccabi Haifa; a Bicycle kick goal at the Israeli Cup semi final). Zahavi scored 27 goals and assisted 20 more while playing 91 games for Hapoel Tel Aviv.

In the 2010/2011 season Zahavi became the top assister of the Israeli Premier League, providing 13 assists during the season.^[2]

Palermo

It was reported that Zahavi signed a 5 year deal with the Italian Serie A club, Palermo.^[3] It is the second Israeli footballer history in Italy after Tal Banin; the first of Sicilian. He debuted with the rosanero on 28 July against Thun in Europa League. He made his debut in Serie A against Atalanta on 18 September, and scored his first goal three days later, only 15 seconds after the kick-off in a home game against Cagliari where he was included as a starter for the first time under new head coach Devis Mangia. Despite the impressive beginning, Zahavi struggles to find a first team spot against the likes of attacking midfielders Josip Iličić and Franco Vázquez. The following season turned out to be even more problematic for Zahavi, due to him suffering a long-term injury during pre-season from which he recovered only in November 2012, as well as increased concurrency (Franco Brienza and Jasmin Kurtić).

Maccabi Tel Aviv

In December 2012, towards the winter transfers window opening, Zahavi showed signs of returning to Israel.^[4] Following an agreement made by Palermo and Maccabi Tel Aviv, his former club Hapoel Tel Aviv was given 7 days to make a bid on him due to a first-option clause in his contract,^[5] but it was not exploited. On 21 January 2013, after over a month of speculations in the media, Maccabi Tel Aviv announced his arrival, signing him on a three-and-a-half year contract^[6] for €250,000.^[7]

2012-13 season

Zahavi made an instant impact for the team, scoring in his debut against Maccabi Netanya in the Israel State Cup. On 2 February 2013 Zahavi made his debut in the Israeli Premier League for Maccabi against Hapoel Ramat Gan. 9 days later he participated for the first time in the local derby match for Maccabi against his former club Hapoel Tel Aviv. He finished the game with 2 assists, leading the team to an historic 4–0 win. He scored his first ever goal for Maccabi in the Israeli Premier League on 10 March 2013 in the 5–0 win against Beitar Jerusalem. Since his arrival to the club he has been a major force for Maccabi Tel Aviv, evidenced by his 7 goals in 16 matches that eventually led the team to its first championship title after a ten-year drought.

2013-14 season

Zahavi made his European debut for the team on 17 July 2013 against Hungarian side Győri ETO FC in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. He later scored his first European goal against F.C. Basel in the third qualiftying round. On 23 September 2013 during an away league match against Maccabi Haifa in Kiryat Eliezer Stadium, Eran provided an assist leading his team to a 3-0 historic victory, 9 years after their previous win in Haifa's home stadium. On 28 September 2013 Zahavi opened in a league match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona as team captain.

International career

Zahavi made his international debut on 2 September 2010 against Malta in Ramat Gan Stadium, in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match. He scored his first goal for the national team on 10 September 2013 against Russia.

Statistics

Honours

Hapoel Tel Aviv

• Israeli Premier League (1): 2009–10
• Israel State Cup (2): 2010, 2011

Maccabi Tel Aviv

• Israeli Premier League (1): 2012–13

Club

As of 26 November 2013.

National team

As of 16 October 2013.

Footnotes

External links

• Eran Zahavi club profile on the Israel Football Association website. (Hebrew)
• Eran Zahavi national team profile on the Israel Football Association website. (Hebrew)