Guy Luzo. Azarbaijanian rival
(Photo: Ido Perelmutter)

In the first and second qualification rounds draw for the UEFA Europa League held today (Monday), Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv has been drawn to play against Simurq Zaqatala of Azerbaijan in the first qualification round. Bnei-Yehuda's general manager, Moshe Damayo, represented the club in the draw.

The team's coach, Guy Luzon, commented on the draw to the official website: "We do not yet know the team we were drawn to play against. Until the date of the match, on the 2nd of July, we will thoroughly learn the team. We respect Simurq, but our goal is one and only - to qualify to the next round."

The first match will be held in Azerbaijan on July 2nd, and the second match will be held the following week, on July 9th, at Bloomfield Stadium.

Simurq is a young soccer club founded in 2005, and promoted to the Azerbaijani premier league the following year. It will be the club's first appearance in a European competition. The team finished the last season on the third place, nine points from the first place and eight points from the second, with 16 wins, five ties and five losses.

The team's stadium holds 3,500 seats.

The team's balance on the Azerbaijani league since it's foundation:
* Season 2005/06 - 3rd place
* Season 2006/07 - 9th place
* Season 2007/08 - 7th place
* Season 2008/09 - 3rd place

The winner of the two matches will qualify for the second qualification round of Europa League, and will compete against the winner of the two matches between Dinaburg of Latvia and Nõmme Kalju of Estonia.

Maharan Radi. Continues
(Photo: Aloni Mor)

Bnei-Yehuda's midfielder for the following season, Maharan Radi, signed a contract today (Sunday) for one more season in the team.

Radi joined Bnei-Yehuda after leaving Maccabi Herzeliya a few weeks after the start of the 2008/09 season, and made his debut match for Bnei-Yehuda on the 3rd circle of that season.

The player found his place on the first lineup, participated in 27 league matches out of 33, and played a total of 34 matches in all competitions, scored one goal and assisted three.

Bnei-Yehuda's coache, Guy Luzon, informed the club's management after the end of the 2008/09 seasons that he is interested in the services of Radi for the upcoming season, and after a few weeks of negotiations the two sides have reached an agreement.

The team wishes to emphesize that the efforts to sign more players are ongoing and more players are to be signed in the near future.

Bnei-Yehuda's management wishes Radi a successful season!

Luzon. Practice match on Thursday
(Photo: Nir Shabtay)

Josip Serdarušić, Croatian striker aged 22, will start trying out for Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv tomorrow.

The player is to be examined on the team's practices and practice matches to be held soon. The first match will be held on Thursday against Israeli champion Maccabi Haifa at the Bat-Galim practice grounds, Haifa.

This Monday the draw for the first and second qualification rounds of the UEFA Europe League will be held. The draw will reveal Bnei-Yehuda's rival for the first round, that will be held 2nd and 9th of July.

Aviv Chadad
(picture taken from Sport 5 website)

Hakoach Amidar Ramat Gan player for the last season, Aviv Chadad, signed a contract this evening (Thursday) with Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv for one season.

Chadad, 25, central defender, was brought up on Maccabi Tel-Aviv's youth club, and started playing Hapoel Ashkelon's adult team on the 2005/06 season, in Israel's Leumit League (the second league). Chadad opened the 2007/08 season in Maccabi Tel-Aviv, but was transfered to Hakoach Amidar while the season was ongoing.

Bnei-Yehuda's management wishes Chadad a successful season.

Nitzan Shirazi
(Photo: Aloni Mor)

Bnei Yehuda is testing foreign players. The management decided that the club needs reinforcements in order to stay away from the relegation zone. In January there is the possibility to do that during the transfer period and it is expected that Bnei Yehuda will release some players and make some 2 or 3 new signings.

This week a couple of foreign players will arrive to Israel to train with the team, among them at least one Croatian player.

Details about new signings will be published on the official site first!