SHE is Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s equivalent of Saints owner Katharina Liebherr.

The daughter of former St Mary’s saviour Markus is the only female owner of a Premier League football club, writes SIMON CARTER.

Likewise in Israel, Alona Barkat stands alone in the traditionally male-dominated world of professional football.

Barkat is the owner of Saints’ second Europa League opponents Be’er Sheva.

Unlike Liebherr, though, Barkat didn’t inherit a football club.

She bought it with her own money.

Be’er Sheva were languishing in the Israeli second tier back in 2007 when Barkat purchased the club for $1.8 million.

Within two years, Hapoel were promoted to Ligat Ha’Al, the country’s premier league, going up against the big boys of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa.

And last season, just seven years after buying the club, Barkat watched on as Hapoel were crowned Israeli League champions for the first time in 40 years.

And they did it with spending a lot less money on wages than Maccabi, managed by ex-Manchester United player Jordi Cruyff, had done in winning three successive top flight titles.

Shades of Leicester City, therefore.

Hapoel’s long overdue title win was on the cards in a way, though - the club had been top flight runners-up two seasons earlier.

Regarding her gender, Barkat has told Israeli media: “To tell the truth, I don’t feel any difference in the way people relate to me. At first, it raised a few eyebrows, but now it seems natural to everyone. The fact that I’m a woman is no longer an issue… I’m judged by results.

“Since I was a girl, I’ve always been interested in ‘boys’ things’ like motor racing…. I also developed an interest in soccer.

“I had been involved in philanthropy and thought what better way to promote educational values and bring about social change than through soccer.”

In a politically volatile area, Barkat admits “there is no place for racism or intolerance in soccer.

“Our team has Jews, Arabs, foreign Christians, and we sign players according to merit, not their ethnic or religious background.”

While no Saints manager has been fired by Liebherr, who is not involved in decision making on a day to day basis, Barkat is far more of a hands-on owner.

Towards the end of 2014/15 she sacked Elisha Levy, who had been her manager for three seasons, after Hapoel finished third in the league.

The axing came a week before the cup final, denying Levy the honor of leading his team out before the showpiece match, which they lost 6-2 to Maccabi.

Back in 2010 she announced she would be selling the club after fans assaulted then-manager Guy Azuri. She later withdrew her threat.

In place of Levy, Barkat brought in Barak Bachar who had just led Hapoel Kiryat Shmona to runners-up spot - one place ahead of Hapoel.

He quickly brought in the likes of former Genk striker Elyaniv Barda and Chelsea striker Ben Sahar, imported players such as Nigerian John Ogu, and promoted homegrown talent like defender Ofir Davidzada.