Haifa take Cyprus option

Maccabi Haifa FC confirmed on Friday that they would hold their next European home fixture in Cyprus while Israel remains off limits to foreign clubs.

AEK opposition
The Israeli champions meet AEK Athens FC in the third round of the UEFA Cup, playing the first leg on November 28 in Greece, with the return leg on December 12 at the GSP stadium in Nicosia. The Cypriot capital was the home venue for Haifa's UEFA Champions League first phase matches in September and October.

Request denied
Haifa sent an urgent request to European governing body UEFA on Monday to lift the ban and allow them to hold the home leg in their own country, but were told that Israel was still too dangerous due to the volatile security situation in the region.
 
‘Constant monitoring’
"UEFA is continuously and constantly monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Hopefully, progress will be made within the next few months in order to allow Israeli teams to again play in front of their home crowd," a UEFA spokesman said in response to the request.

Impressive record
Despite conceding home advantage, Israeli clubs have a good record at the GSP stadium, having won there on four occasions and lost only once. Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC beat AC Milan 1-0 in the UEFA Cup last season and Olympiakos Piraeus FC and Manchester United FC both lost 3-0 to Haifa this season. Haifa also recorded a 4-0 win over FC Belshina Bobruisk of Belarus in the Champions League second qualifying round at the same stadium.