On paper, Maccabi Petah Tikva does not have too impressive conditions for success. It does not have a huge audience or large money. But it has, for the Luzon family, one valuable thing: a special sense of identifying players, and dedicated care of them once they get their hands on them. In the first decade of the 2000s, she released players like Gal Alberman or Omar Golan, in the last decade she revealed to the world an exciting Israeli talent named Manor Solomon, the one who culminated this season with memorable goals against Real Madrid, on the biggest stage of all – the Champions League. Can mark V for a huge deal: Liel Abda, who is expected to move to Dynamo Kiev for 5 million euros.So who is Liel Abda and why is he marked as a huge talent?
“Fast as a Storm”
Those who do not watch closely of the National League, saw Abda gallop for the first time in the quarterfinals of the State Cup against Betar Jerusalem last year. Antoine Conte got a heel on his back, and Uri from his back did not manage with the speed on the right line. Again and again the Jerusalem defense, while on the way squeezed a red from Ofir Krieff, who could not cope with his speed.
In the case of Abda, his maturity and ability on the field, is derived from his special character. “His family does not have large financial means,” said Ofir Luzon, director of the youth department of Maccabi Petah Tikva. “The parents work very hard from morning to evening to support the house. They are humble people, types of yesteryear. He knows how to say thank you to his dad for every pair of shoes he bought him. Liel is different from any average Israeli. It looks like he grew up in a different generation. He is very mature and that is his magic. “
The coaches who worked with Avda on the Israeli team say that he is a talented player and a real goalie. It is also noted that he is gifted with a high level of game intelligence and a very disciplined player at the tactical level. “Modesty and hard work set him apart,” said his former youth team coach Guy Azouri, “He is fast and agile with and without the ball, so when he gets the ball on the field, it is very difficult to deal with. Today in football looking for decisive players and high percentage utilization. I doubt he will go as far as possible. “
From matriculation in literature to acting in Doha
Already at the age of 17, Liel made his Premier League debut, in a game against Hapoel B’Shlosha last year. “Tears just fell from my eyes,” said his father, Ronen, who is very dominant in the life of the diamond. The youth, very quickly found his place in the senior team after winning the championship with Maccabi Petah Tikva in the youth.
“His dream is clear and he will conquer any goal. He is a child who will not deviate from the path,” said Ophir Luzon about the midfielder who scored seven goals and cooked four more in 30 appearances in the seniors this season, adding two more goals against Astana in the Champions League qualifiers, “Liel will go on holiday in the best shape and return from it in the highest form. He works alone without personal trainers. His strong qualities besides speed are the high technique and the positive impudence on the field.”
The strong bond with the Luzon family and the trip to Barcelona
Meanwhile, Abda does not have an agent and the man who runs his career is Ophir Luzon, and Liel follows him with his eyes closed: “Because of my circumstances and my acquaintance with him, the family trusts me. When groups and agents call him, he refers them to me. “He came to Maccabi Petah Tikva from Hapoel Petah Tikva at the age of 13 after entering a minor quarantine,” Ofir said. “At that time we found out that he was not celebrating a bar mitzvah. This is part of Maccabi Petah Tikva. His 15-year-old younger brother also plays for the club. “
“I received a phone call in the middle of the day to come to the offices of Maccabi Petah Tikva,” said his father, who works as a warehouseman at Osem. “We did not have the means to travel abroad and Liel’s dream was to travel to Barcelona. They arranged tickets for the week For us. The family’s connection with Maccabi Petah Tikva is strong, we have built a word of honor and trust.
“Our goal is to sell it to Europe,” Ofir Luzon stated last season. “No Israeli team can pay him the price tag of at least 4 million euros. Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel BS have checked on him, but that is not the goal, not that of Maccabi Petah Tikva and not Liel’s.
The article was first published on January 7, 2020.
