Goalkeeper Mario Muscat and midfielder Kevin Sammut were the two notable absentees from the provisional 24-man squad named by Malta coach John Buttigieg yesterday ahead of the Euro 2012 Group F qualifier away to Greece on June 4.

The omission of the 34-year-old Muscat, who has made a total of 68 appearances for Malta, casts doubts over his international future as his place in the provisional squad went to Marsaxlokk goalkeeper Reuben Gauci.

As for Sammut, his exclusion comes as no surprise as the midfielder has not been a regular for champions Valletta in the past few months.

Ferencvaros duo, goalkeeper Justin Haber and striker Andre Schembri, Sheffield United forward Daniel Bogdanovic and Central Coast Mariners midfielder John Hutchinson have all been included in Buttigieg’s 24-man list.

Greece lead Group F with 11 points from five matches while Malta are rooted to the bottom of the table with no points after five successive defeats.

Provisional squad
Goalkeepers: J. Haber (Ferencvaros); A. Hogg (Valletta); R. Gauci (Marsaxlokk).
Defenders: R. Briffa (Valletta); E. Herrera (Hibs); J. Caruana (Valletta); A. Agius (Birkirkara); C. Failla (Sliema Wanderers); S. Bajada (Birkirkara); S. Borg (Valletta); J. Zerafa (Birkirkara).
Midfielders: G. Sciberras (Marsaxlokk); J. Hutchinson (Central Coast Mariners); R. Fenech (Valletta); P. Fenech (Birkirkara); J. Pace (Valletta); T. Cilia (Birkirkara).
Strikers: D. Bogdanovic (Sheffield United); A. Schembri (Ferencvaros); A. Cohen (Hibernians); I. Woods (Floriana); C. Caruana (Floriana); J. Mintoff (Sliema W.); M. Mifsud (Qormi).

Malta U-21 squad

Coach Ray Farrugia has called a 20-man squad for the Euro U-21 qualifiers against Finland (June 3) and Lithuania (June 7).

Goalkeepers: D. Balzan (Hibs), A. Parnis (Sannat), S. Sultana (Gozo).
Defenders: O. Bugeja (Floriana), Y. Camilleri (Rabat), C. Cassar (Pietà), K. Farrugia (Mosta), M. Gauci (Hibs), L. Martinelli (Melita), Z. Muscat (Pietà), J. Xerri (Vittoriosa).
Midfielders: C. Borg (Floriana), T. Caruana (Hibs), S. Grech (Pietà), B, Kristensen (Hibs), R. Muscat (Birkirkara).
Strikers: S. Pisani (Hibs), M. Ciantar (Sliema), L. Grech (Vittoriosa), T. Vella (Birkirkara).

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