After finishing as runners-up for three successive seasons, Maccabi Tel Aviv ended their wait for a 22nd league title last season. On that occasion, they emerged from the Championship round with an astonishing advantage of 31 points, losing just one of their 36 league games throughout the campaign. What is even more remarkable is that Tel Aviv find themselves in similar circumstances for a second year in a row, sitting 12 points clear of nearest challengers Maccabi Haifa with just eight fixtures remaining. Given their trajectory over the past two years, there is a feeling that Vladimir Ivic's team are already on the brink of defending their top-flight crown, but is it the case that other outcomes are also close to being decided?
As football betting give odds for every possible market these days, you will have to think outside of the box regarding any bets involving Tel Aviv. The only statistic which you cannot conclusively fail to be impressed by is their goal return of 52 goals from 28 games, seven less than Maccabi Haifa. It helps highlight that they possess arguably the most phenomenal defensive record on the continent, conceding just seven goals in the league this season. Matching the two statistics together should increase the chances of Maccabi Tel Aviv winning matches with less than 3.5 goals scored, and it is something which should be taken into account going forward.
While 12 points separate first and second, another eight points come between Maccabi Haifa and third-placed Beitar Jerusalem. In the grand scheme of things, it will not matter with the teams in those positions entering the Europa League qualifying rounds at the same stage. The respective outfits are scheduled to go head-to-head on June 13, and it could potentially leave Maccabi Haifa having all but being confirmed as runners-up.
Perhaps the biggest talking point heading into the final eight fixtures will be if anyone can dislodge Beitar from third place. Unlike further up the table, just six points separate third and fifth, with Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Hapoel Tel Aviv still in the hunt for the final European spot. The landscape will change as the teams in question square off on June 6, and the latter will feel that they can ill-afford a defeat at this stage of the campaign.
In terms of top goalscorers in the division, Nikita Rukavytsya ended the regular season on 18 goals, six more than any other player. The well-travelled Australia international has not scored in the opening two Championship Round fixtures, but the 32-year-old remains the same margin clear of former Chelsea frontman Ben Sahar, who represents Hapoel Be'er Sheva. With Rukavytsya requiring a major drop off in form and Sahar needing to score at a better ratio than he has done throughout the campaign, the current leading marksman is unlikely to be challenged for the golden boot.
