Floriana coach Enzo Potenza will hope his players give him the right answers as the Premier League leaders look to put their title chase back on track when they face Balzan this afternoon at the National Stadium (kick-off 16.00).
Last weekend, Floriana saw their unbeaten run come to an end when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Birkirkara courtesy of a late Federico Falcone goal. That upset has inevitably reopened this season’s title race as the Greens saw their lead at the top trimmed by their closest rivals, with Gżira United just three points adrift with Hibernians a further point behind while Valletta are trailing their fierce rivals by five points.
It will be interesting to see how that upset will effect the Greens who are facing some decisive matches in the next four weeks all their direct title rivals.
Balzan are likely to provide another tricky test for the Greens as Jacques Scerri’s team have been showing some encouraging signs in the last few weeks as they are unbeaten in their last three matches as they look to step up their chase for a top-four finish.
Floriana have first-hand experience of how dangerous Balzan can be as in the corresponding first-round fixture the Greens needed a late goal from Kristijan Keqi to sneak out a 1-0 win after the Reds had also missed an injury-time penalty that could have handed them a merited point.
If Floriana are to return back to winning ways they will have to do it without Potenza’s directions from the touchline as the Italian coach starts a two-match ban.
Gżira United will interested spectators of this clash as they will surely be hopeful they can make further inroads on the Greens’ lead when they face Sta Lucia tomorrow.
The Maroons may be favourites to take all three points but given the Saints’ pedigree against the top teams this season it may not be a comfortable afternoon for the title chasers.
Sta Lucia head into the match in high spirits after their battling performance against Valletta which saw coming very close to recording their second successive win over the Malta champions as it had to be a late Mario Fontanella goal that handed the Citizens a 2-2 draw.
Gżira will be aware of the threat posed by Sta Lucia who had also managed to hold Giovanni Tedesco’s men to a goalless draw in the corresponding first-round fixture.
The Maroons are expected to have two new players in their squad, namely goalkeeper Anthony Curmi, who rejoined the Maroons earlier this week, and Italian midfielder Marco Criaco who became the third player to join the club from Ħamrun Spartans this month.
Gżira yesterday have also wrapped up the signing of Dexter Xuereb, from Mosta.
The former Malta U-21 international put pen to paper on a five-year-contract but will not be available as he must serve a one-match ban.
Sta Lucia have also bolstered their options with the signing of goalkeeper Timmy Aquilina, who moves on loan from Sliema Wanderers, and Brazilian attacking midfielder Paolo Henrique.
Tomorrow, they will be without Camilo Escobar and Jackson Mendoza who are suspended.
Valletta will have Colombian striker Jhony Moises Cano Barrios making his debut when they take on Sliema Wanderers at the Centenary Stadium on Monday.
The 30-year-old completed his move to the Malta champions after impressing during a short trial at the club.
Coach Darren Abdilla, however, will be without club skipper Steve Borg who must serve a one-match ban.