The first phase of the Bank of Valletta Premier League enters a delicate stage as the clubs play the first of their final three matches which will determine who will play in the Championship and Relegation Pools in the second phase.
So far, only Valletta and Floriana are assured of a place in the Top Six and the battle still rages between six clubs for the remaining four places.
Birkirkara and Tarxien are almost there, while Marsaxlokk, Hamrun, Sliema and Qormi will probably be battling for the remaining two spots.
All matches will be important as every team, including those at the bottom end of the standings, will be looking for points.
The programme starts today at the National Stadium with a clash between Qormi and Hibernians to be followed by the Sliema-Valletta encounter.
Tomorrow, at the Hibernians Stadium, Tarxien entertain Floriana before Vittoriosa taken on Birkirkara.
The Sliema-Valletta takes pride of place as it involves two teams who have been rivals for a very long time in local football history.
Moreover, at present, while Valletta are enjoying their best season for some years, Sliema are occupying a lowly seventh position and are still struggling to find their best form in their efforts to make it to the Top Six.
Valletta need to return to winning form after their unexpected goalless draw against Marsaxlokk last week and with the arrival of newcomer Ryan Fenech from Hamrun, that is exactly what their numerous fans expect of them this weekend.
The citizens, in my opinion, should prove to be too strong for Sliema, but they certainly cannot take things for granted.
In the first round, Valletta ran out easy 4-0 winners, but Sliema now are in a position that they cannot afford to miss much points from their remaining matches and therefore one expects them to do their utmost to try and take away at least one point.
Before this match, Qormi will be facing the disappointing Hibernians, a side which is now almost sure of having to play in the Relegation Pool in the second phase.
The Paolites succumbed to bottom placed Vittoriosa Stars last weekend and could face trouble in a second phase where points between the contesting four clubs will probably be very tight.
Qormi, on the other hand, still entertain hopes of making it to the Top Six and a victory this afternoon will enable them to maintain their hopes and overtake Sliema, if the latter fail to beat Valletta in the second match.
Tomorrow, the Tarxien-Floriana match should be a very balanced encounter with Tarxien doing their utmost to register a win which will ascertain them of their Top Six berth.
The Greens, however, will not be staring just because they have already assured themselves of a berth in the Championship Pool. Todor Raykov’s side is aware that they still can challenge Valletta for the title and that is why they will be aiming for the three points, apart from extending their current three-match unbeaten run.
In the other match tomorrow, Birkirkara will also be aiming for a victory to make sure of a Top Six berth, but Vittoriosa will have other thoughts and they are also eyeing a positive result in their battle against relegation.
The Stars had held the Stripes to a 1-1 draw in the first round and after their 2-1 win against the Paolites last week, they now seek to maintain their winning track.
But the Stripes have now been strengthened with the arrival of two new players – central defender Andrei Agius and Brazilian striker Rodolfo Kumbrevicius de Oliveira.
This is the programme of remaining matches for each club in this first phase:
Valletta: Sliema, Hamrun and Floriana.
Floriana: Tarxien, Sliema and Valletta.
Tarxien R.: Floriana, Hibernians and Birkirkara.
Birkirkara: Vittoriosa S., Qormi and Tarxien R.
Hamrun S.: Valletta and Vittoriosa S.
Marsaxlokk: Vittoriosa S. and Qormi.
Sliema W.: Valletta, Floriana and Hibernians.
Qormi: Hibernians, Birkirkara and Marsaxlokk.
Hibernians: Qormi, Tarxien R. and Sliema W.
Vittoriosa S.: Birkirkara, Marsaxlokk and Hamrun S.