Birkirkara off to Cyprus with 18-man squad

Birkirkara left for Cyprus early this morning ahead of the second leg of their UEFA Cup qualifying round match against Apoel Nicosia, to be played on Thursday.

Stephen Azzopardi, the Birkirkara coach, has had to leave a host of key players out of the travelling 18-man squad because of injuries.

Striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza is still receiving medical therapy on the foot fracture he suffered in the latter stages of last season while defender Roderick Sammut, who was in Birkirkara's starting line-up for the 2-0 defeat to Apoel at Ta' Qali, has stayed in Malta to have surgery after the recurrence of a hand injury.

The Birkirkara mentor was hoping to have Michael Galea in his squad for the Cyprus trip which will also double up as a mini-training camp for the Stripes. However, work pressure and his incomplete recovery from injury saw Galea pulling out of the party.

Talks with former skipper Chucks Nwoko over a new contract are proving problematic and as a result, the stocky midfielder has not been included in the squad. Nwoko has not taken part in any of the matches played by the Stripes since they began their pre-season training.

Azzopardi has named four goalkeepers in this squad, namely David Simon, the Czech Republic shotstopper recruited to replace Justin Haber, Ivan Casha, Bernard Paris and Joshua Galea.

Malta goalkeeper Haber seems to have ruled out the possibility of extending his contract with the Stripes as he wants to pursue his career abroad, possibly in France.

George Mallia is still recuperating from the injury that kept him out of the home tie against Apoel but has clinched a spot on Azzopardi's 18-man list for Thursday's second leg which kicks off at 7 p.m. (Malta time).

Also on Thursday night, Hibernians take on Omonia Nicosia in the second leg of their UEFA Cup qualifying round match at the National Stadium. In the away leg, Hibernians suffered a 3-0 upset.