Maccabi Haifa stand tall on night full of emotion

Israeli side remember victims of Hamas attack on return to action but two Villarreal players do not join tribute

- Jacob Steinberg

A cross from the main stand at the deserted stadium, the sight of 1,400 blue and white balloons swaying in the evening breeze stood as a reminder of Israel's pain.

Maccabi Haifa were playing for more than three points in their Europa League group. That they almost got them on a night laced with emotion, pushing Villarreal to the limit before the Spanish team fought back to win 2-1, mattered less than remembering the 1,400 innocent people murdered by Hamas on 7 October.

Haifa, Israel's most diverse club, could not forget. While the memory of the atrocities committed by Hamas are raw, the trauma still present, the spirit remains strong, the symbolism of those balloons capturing it. With the colours of the Israeli flag on show and the Star of David proudly displayed in the middle of the arrangement, Haifa made sure to deliver their message.