Eliel Peretz Set to Return; Joao Victor Ruled Out Against Red Star
Midfielder Eliel Peretz, who did not start against Vikingur, is expected to replace Kings Kangwa. Hapoel Be’er Sheva is managing Joao Victor’s recovery, while coach Ran Kuz’ok weighs whether to debut Pedro Amador in the starting lineup.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva will hold a morning training session today (Sunday) before reconvening at Ben Gurion Airport for an evening flight to Vienna. From there, the team will travel to Szombathely, Hungary, which will host their third-round UEFA Champions League qualifying match against Red Star Belgrade.
Similar to the intense heat in Israel, weather conditions in Hungary are expected to be sweltering during the match. Portuguese left-back Pedro Amador joined training for the first time yesterday and received a warm welcome. Head coach Ran Kuz’ok must decide whether to start Amador, given that the player will have only completed three training sessions with his new teammates by match day. Coordination with the defensive line will be the primary factor in Kuz’ok’s decision.
Brazilian winger Joao Victor is expected to miss both legs against Red Star Belgrade. The club intends to allow him more time to recover from a muscle tear rather than risking a setback. He will not play in the upcoming match, and it is unlikely he will be available for the return leg in Belgrade next week.
This will be Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s first match since the departure of Kings Kangwa, who was unveiled by Panathinaikos late last week. With no direct replacement yet, Eliel Peretz—who did not start in the two matches against Vikingur—is expected to return to the lineup. Peretz made a positive impact as a substitute last week, and he is projected to start in midfield alongside Niv Yehoshua and Lucas Venturа.
