Beer Sheva and Maccabi Petah Tikva hear? The trophy holder upgrade

Following various permutations in the UEFA factories, the Israeli cup holder will begin its journey in the Europa League qualifiers in the second round instead of the first round. This is a one stage skip and also in two weeks of rest in the summer, so the first European game of the winner of the final is next Thursday in Bloomfield – Hapoel Beer Sheva or Maccabi Petah Tikva – will only be on July 25.

The jump to the second round was created following a shift of teams in the Champions League that left only four teams in the second round in the non-champions route, so that only two fall into the Europa League. Thus Silkeborg, Reika, the Greek cup holder and our cup holder were promoted to the second round of the secondary factory qualifiers.

Hapoel Beer Sheva (17 ranking points) will be ranked in the second round if they win the cup, while Maccabi Petah Tikva, who wants to return to Europe after 19 years, does not enjoy a similar score and therefore will not be ranked. The one keeping their fingers crossed for the team from the south is Hapoel Haifa, who secured the fourth place in the league and will get a ticket to the conference league qualifiers only if Hapoel Beer Sheva wins at the end of the final in Bloomfield. If Maccabi Petah Tikva wins, then Beer Sheva will be the one to join Maccabi Haifa in the conference league qualifiers.

the dates

Second qualifying round draw: June 19 First game: July 25. Rematch: August 1

Third qualifying round draw: July 22 First game: August 8. Rematch: August 15

Playoff draw: August 5. First game: August 22. Rematch: August 29

League stage draw: August 30. Games: September 25-26 to January 30 (eight rounds)

As in the Champions League, the new format works according to the Swiss system: a league stage instead of a group stage. 36 teams that are all in one common league, when it comes to four home games and four away games against an opponent from each tier. The first eight (those with the highest score) at the end of the eight rounds of the league, qualify directly for the round of 16. Ranked 9 to 24 will compete among themselves in a knockout stage for the right to remain in the factory, with the winners completing the round of 16 picture and the losers ending their journey in Europe.