Dimitris Itoudis confronted by Hapoel fans at Cyprus airport
Coach Dimitris Itoudis was verbally confronted by Hapoel Tel Aviv supporters at the Cyprus airport after Maccabi won the big Israeli derby.
On 13 November 2026, following the high-profile Israeli derby in the EuroLeague that ended in a Maccabi win, Hapoel Tel Aviv supporters confronted coach Dimitris Itoudis at the Cyprus airport where the fixture was held.
According to eyewitness accounts, a number of fans approached Itoudis and launched verbal attacks. The situation escalated to a point where security staff stepped in to separate the coach from the supporters.
Security intervene
Those in the crowd reportedly shouted insults at Itoudis; at one point fans directed the message, "Go back to Greece, you are not a coach," at him. Security personnel formed a protective barrier and escorted Itoudis away from the group.
Hapoel Tel Aviv had invested heavily in the squad led by Itoudis ahead of the season, and the defeat in the derby clearly inflamed tensions among the club's supporters.
Sportingly, Hapoel sit in tenth place alongside Partizan with a 6-5 record. In the double round next week the team will travel to face Baskonia and then Paris.
Photo: press material from the event
