The Bank of Valletta Premier League resumes this weekend with another four matches. As has become the custom, the two most important matches will be played this afternoon at the national stadium while the other two will be played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium in Hamrun tomorrow.
Today’s clashes are considered crucial for the four teams, but especially for Hamrun and Hibernians who will be seeking important and, possibly, decisive points in their efforts to move away from the zone hovering just above the three Relegation Pool candidates.
At present, Valletta lead the standings on 28 points, followed by Marsaxlokk on 25, Floriana and Sliema on 24, Hamrun S. 23, Birkirkara 22 and Hibernians are on 21.
One of these seven clubs will have to accompany Pieta, Msida and Mqabba in the Relegation Pool. But not one of them can yet say they are mathematically in the Championship Pool, not even leaders Valletta.
Four matches remain to be played till the end of the first phase, but after this weekend, we might possibly have a clearer picture of how the Championship Pool will look like.
If Marsaxlokk, Valletta, Floriana and Sliema win their matches this weekend, then it will become obvious that these four clubs would be playing in the Championship Pool, barring a great surprise in the final three rounds of matches.
That would leave Hamrun, Birkirkara and Hibernians fighting it out between themselves to try and avoid the Relegation Pool.
In today’s opening match, Hibernians will be seriously handicapped with the absence of top striker Terence Scerri who will be serving a one-match suspension.
Their hopes have not been helped either by the return to form of the champions. In fact, Marsaxlokk showed a lot of improvement in their recent performances in which they first defeated Birkirkara 3-1 and a week later Floriana 4-1.
Those two matches have lifted Marsaxlokk and they are now occupying second position in the standings, indicating that they will not be relinquishing the title they won last year so easily.
The second match this afternoon will certainly bring back memories of the 1980s and early 1990s as Valletta and Hamrun Spartans clash.
It has now been a long time since Hamrun have challenged Valletta as they used to do – also with a lot of success – in the 1980s and 1990s, their most glorious years. But this season, the Spartans have done pretty well and have showed signs of a revival, even if in their last encounter, they suffered a severe setback as they unexpectedly lost to Msida St Joseph 2-1.
The Spartans will certainly try to return to winning form even if they know that their task against the league leaders will not be easy.
One thing in their favour is that Valletta will be without their captain and schemer Gilbert Agius and that could pose a problem for the citizens.
Agius is still considered – quite rightly – as City’s football jewel. His absence will sorely be missed in their midfield and all the others will have to produce more than their 100 per cent to beat the Spartans and maintain their stance at the top of the standings.
Valletta were not playing any wonderful football in the League recently. In their last two matches, they struggled to beat lowly Msida and bottom-placed Mqabba. But then they even surprised themselves and boosted their morale in no uncertain measure with that spirited display against Juventus where they figured in a merited 1-1 draw and also went on to win the Betfair Cup, beating the Turin giants in the penalty shoot-out.
Tomorrow, Floriana and Sliema seem to have some easy matches thanks to which they will be able to consolidate their position in the standings.
The Greens will be facing lowly Pieta in the first match, while Sliema will be seeking revenge against Mqabba who inflicted a rare and quite surprising 3-2 defeat on the Wanderers in the first round match.
Tomorrow, it is another story, however, as both the Greens and the Blues are aware that a victory and a further three points would almost assure them of a place in the Championship Pool.
I do not expect any one of them to falter this time.