Bournemouth conclude their warm-weather training camp in Marbella with an intriguing showdown against Israeli powerhouses Maccabi Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The Cherries hit Hibernian for four during Andoni Iraola's baptism on Thursday, while Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pirates.
Match preview
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Due to the unforgiving Marbella heat, Bournemouth's friendly with Hibs on Thursday was split into three 30-minute periods, but it was the Cherries' attackers who were on fire during a demolition job of the Scottish Premiership side.
In what was Iraola's first match in charge since taking the reins from Gary O'Neil - whose sacking initially caused disbelief and uproar within the Premier League landscape - the Cherries struck two early goals through David Brooks and Jaidon Anthony before a second-half brace from Philip Billing completed the rout.
New arrival Justin Kluivert also bagged a pair of assists during a near-perfect day at the office for Bournemouth, who will soon depart sunny Spain for the UK ahead of a trio of final friendlies with Southampton, Atalanta BC and Lorient before their opening Premier League affair with West Ham United.
While the popular O'Neil managed to stave off relegation to the Championship, losing each of his final four games in the 2022-23 Premier League marked a bitter end to his tenure, but the acquisition of Iraola has been regarded as an impressive coup for cut-throat owner Bill Foley.
The 41-year-old took Rayo Vallecano from a second-tier Spanish side to an established La Liga outfit over the past couple of years - even breaking into the top five of the table last year before an inevitable drop-off - but one of Israel's most revered teams will prove a stern test of their mettle.
However, since adding their 24th and most recent Israeli Premier League crown to their cabinet in the 2019-20 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv's powers have waned slightly, as they were forced to accept a second successive third-placed finish in the 2022-23 season.
Both Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Be'er Sheva had three points deducted last season, but the two sides still managed to fend off the threat of Maccabi Tel Aviv, who finished just one point behind the latter outfit; not that it would have made any difference to their continental qualification.
Indeed, as Maccabi Haifa clinched the only Champions League spot on offer, Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv will go down the qualifying route for the Europa Conference League; the latter outfit will pit their wits against Moldova's Petrocub later this month.
Following the end of Aitor Karanka's brief tenure, the 24-time Israeli champions have taken a punt on an unknown quantity in former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool striker Robbie Keane, who begins his journey into management with the Yellows after exiting his role as Leeds United assistant.
Keane start to life in the hotseat did not begin in ideal fashion, as South African powerhouses Orlando Pirates ran out 1-0 winners on Thursday thanks to a solitary Patrick Maswanganyi strike, and Sunday's showdown will mark Maccabi's final pre-season friendly before a Toto Cup encounter with Hapoel on July 20.
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Team News
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On the same day that Bournemouth taught Hibs a footballing lesson, the Cherries confirmed the permanent signing of ex-Lyon attacker Romain Faivre, who has been sent straight back on loan to Lorient after a successful stint at the Stade du Moustoir last term.
Faivre represents one of three new arrivals this summer alongside Kluivert and Hamed Traore - who has now joined permanently from Sassuolo - while Birmingham City-bound Siriki Dembele joins the likes of Jefferson Lerma, Ben Pearson, Jordan Zemura and Jack Stacey in the departure lounge.
Right-back Adam Smith was withdrawn with a leg injury in the win over Hibs, while Ryan Fredericks and Joe Rothwell are also taking up spots in the medical bay, so James Hill may be given a run-out at right-back.
As for Keane's Maccabi, goalkeeper Or Yitzhak is recovering from an operation, but the Yellows have no other known fitness concerns to factor in for Saturday's game and have captured a couple of marquee signings.
Saint-Etienne full-back Yvann Macon has joined the Israeli giants on loan for the 2023-24 season, while €1.3m (£1.1m) has been forked out on the signing of Yonatan Cohen, who is back in his homeland following a short-lived stint with Italian Serie B side Pisa.
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Neto; Hill, Mepham, Senesi, Greenwood; Ouattara, Cook, Billing, Kluivert; Christie; Moore
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Peretz; Macon, Luckassen, Saborit, Revivo; Bitton, Glazer, Peretz; Cohen, Zahavi, Milson
We say: Bournemouth 2-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Both sides may only have one match under their belt since a new face arrived in the dugout, but Bournemouth flaunted their attacking quality to the extreme against Hibs, while Maccabi's defeat to Orlando Pirates may have set off a few alarm bells.
The Israeli side should still put up more of a fight than Hibernian did, but we still expect the Cherries to end their Spanish sojourn with a second-straight success.
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Ben Knapton
