The local football season gets under way officially this evening with the Super Cup match between Valletta FC and Birkirkara.
The match is reserved for the Champions and FA Trophy winners, but with Valletta having won both competitions last season, Birkirkara earned the right to face them today after finishing runners-up in last season’s Premier League.
The two teams have been preparing since at least the middle of June in view of their commitments in the European club competitions.
Both were eliminated – Birkirkara losing out to Diosgyoer of Hungary in the first qualifying round of the Europa League and Valletta losing to Azerbaijan’s Qarabag FK in the Champions League second qualifying round.
It is still early to make any real assessment, but judging from the matches we have witnessed so far (including the Euro Cup matches), I must say that both sides have left much to be desired as they are still quite far away from reaching the level they reproduced last year, especially Birkirkara.
The two sides seem to have been somewhat weakened when one makes comparisons with the previous season.
Valletta have lost a host of players, among them Denni Rocha dos Santos, Revishvili, Maisuradze, Da Silva Souza, Edmond Agius (to Birkirkara) and Mifsud Triganza, among others.
The only consolation is that Hamza Barry has returned to the fold after a move to Esperance of Tunisia fell through.
Coach Gilbert Agius, appointed to replace Dutchman Andre Paus who is now coaching in Cyprus, cannot be blamed for the two defeats at the hands of the Azerbaijan side. He is still inexperienced and is only expected to get better as the season progresses.
On their part, Birkirkara were even more unimpressive in the matches they have played so far. They have found it difficult to penetrate opposing defences and it is evident that they still have not found reliable players to substitute last season’s top strikers Shola Shodiya and Jhonnattan Benites.
Moreover, goalie Justin Haber’s future does not seem to be with the Stripes. In fact, he has not yet made one appearance for the Stripes this new season and his replacement from Spain, Adrian Sanchez, has had a mixed start in between the Stripes posts.
Another new foreigner – Rafael Ledesma – still has to settle down in his new surroundings, even if he has shown some promise in the matches he has played.
Two other foreigners – Eliandro Gonzaga and Ellinton Morais – have only started training with the club a few days ago, the former after having suffered an injury.
Despite everything, the two sides seem to have all the good elements to make up the ingredients for a closely contested match.
In fact, the Citizens still have such talent as local players Ryan Fenech, Sean Bajada, Roderick Briffa, Luke Montebello, Jonathan Caruana and new recruits, goalie Niki Vella and Ryan Camilleri.
And on his part, Stripes coach Paul Zammit also has very good elements in Gareth Sciberras, Paul Fenech, Alejandro Mendoza, Nikola Vukanac, Edward Herrera, Mateus Bissi, Zach Muscat and Joe Zerafa.
Of course, the Stripes will be seeking to avenge the defeat which knocked them off the perch (and the title) on the last day of last season’s campaign.
This evening’s match is being played at the Ta’ Qali national stadium and kicks off at 7.30pm.
Stadium doors will open at 6pm with the West Side A reserved for Birkirkara fans, West Side B for Valletta fans and the Millennium D stand reserved for neutral supporters.
Admission prices are the following:
Adults €7, Kartanzjan holders €4 and children under 12 years €1.