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Matze Ballers in a league of their own

Warwick JSoc team Matze Ballers have qualified for the ‘Champions League’ stages of the university’s five-a-side league after finishing top of the 16-team ‘Bundesliga’.

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Playing small-sided games on a weekly basis, Matze Ballers are a predominantly Jewish team, including playing captains Daniel Endzweig from Germany and Marc Winkelbauer from Austria, as well a player from France.

Warwick JSoc president Angus Taylor said: “It’s great to have football to take our mind off university politics and we’ve exceeded expectations with a team of fantastic players.”

Last month, Warwick University decided not to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, a decision Taylor described as “deeply disappointing”.

But he believes the success of the team has helped. “We’re a small Jewish community and we study in a safe environment,” he said.

“People sometimes have a negative perception of being Jewish at Warwick but this shows them we enjoy ourselves most of the time.

“Warwick is a fantastic place to be a Jewish student and this is an example of the Jewish community flourishing at university.”

Looking ahead to the next round of matches, Taylor said: “The Champions League will be more competitive and we’re hoping to go all the way and bring the trophy home for the Jewish community of Warwick.”

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