Local champions Valletta FC will be facing reality this evening when they take on one of the top Serbian teams – FK Partizan – in the first leg of their second qualifying round tie.

After their 9-0 aggregate win against FC Lusitans of Andorra, the citizens are aware of the task awaiting them against the Serbian side. Partizan and Red Star have dominated the country’s football scene for several years and although they are no longer rated as they were till a few years back, they are still considered as very tough opponents for every side, especially when they play at home.

Valletta will be hosting their opponents at the Hibernians Stadium this evening (kick off 8.45pm) and home advantage could give the citizens confidence as they still dream of advancing beyond this stage and, perhaps, even to the Group stages of the competition.

But the odds are certainly stacked against the citizens. Partizan cannot be compared to Lusitans – the two teams live in completely different streets. Suffice to say that City’s opponents this evening had managed to advance to the Group stage of the competition just two years ago.

With striker Michael Mifsud in top form – he scored four in the 8-0 rout of Lusitans in the Malta leg of the first round – then everything might be possible.

But it is not only Mifsud who is providing confidence in the Malta champions’ clan. The five Brazilians – Dennis dos Santos, William Barbosa, Johannattann, Jusselio and Ricardo Rocha seem to have integrated well into the side, which is growing from strength to strength with every match they are playing.

However, coach Mark Miller is aware of the strength of his opponents and I expect him to instruct his players to play cautiously, especially in the opening stages.

Miller is not expected to make radical changes to the side that played against Lusitans in the first qualifying round.