Maccabi Tel Aviv open their Europa League campaign on the road on Thursday, and head coach Kenny Miller says the club's recent form leaves no doubt about the team's readiness for the challenge.
"We saw in our performance against Beersheba that we are fit and prepared," Miller said at a press conference previewing the first leg against Sheriff Tiraspol, referencing Maccabi's Israeli Super Cup victory over Hapoel Be'er Sheva on July 16, which the Yellow-and-Blue won 3-1.
For Miller, a 46-year-old Scot and former Celtic and Rangers striker who was confirmed as Maccabi's permanent head coach last month, Thursday's tie carries personal significance. "This is my first European campaign as head coach and it's very exciting," he said.
The coach was careful to temper the optimism, noting that away fixtures in European competition are never straightforward and that navigating a two-legged tie demands careful game management over both matches rather than a single all-out push.
Miller also pointed to improved squad depth heading into the tie, with several players working their way back toward full match fitness after injury, giving him more options than earlier in the summer.
The format itself underlines Maccabi's unusual travel schedule: Thursday's first leg is played in Moldova, while the return fixture on July 30 — in which Maccabi are the nominal home side — will be staged in Batumi, Georgia rather than at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.
Defender Roy Revivo, one of the mainstays of Miller's back line and an Israel international, echoed his coach's anticipation. "It's very exciting, we're anticipating this greatly," he said, describing Sheriff as "an aggressive and strong team" that will test Maccabi from the opening whistle.
Revivo also addressed the absence of Maccabi's own supporters from the away leg, a recurring reality for Israeli clubs in continental competition this season. "We really miss our fans and want to make them happy with a victory," he said.
Sheriff Tiraspol arrive as Moldova's dominant force of the past two decades, with 21 domestic championships to their name, all won since the turn of the century. They reached this round by eliminating Slovenia's Aluminij 1-0.
The winner of the tie advances to the Europa League's third qualifying round; the loser drops into Conference League qualifying, leaving Maccabi with a clear incentive to protect their place in Europe's second-tier competition over the two legs.
