Sliema wary of Msida threat

Msida St Joseph vs Sliema Wanderers (today - National Stadium, 6 p.m.)
Sliema Wanderers and Msida St Joseph will set the ball rolling for the 2004/05 Premier League season in a match that could well turn out to be a tricky one for the champions.

Coach Edward Aquilina and his players have first hand experience of the danger such meetings with Msida could lay in store as 12 months ago they were at the receiving end of a surprising 4-1 upset to the Saints.

The pre-season campaign was rather disappointing for Sliema by their own standards after failing to make progress in the Champions League qualifiers and lost the Super Cup final to Birkirkara.

New players Adrian Mifsud, Miguel Mifsud, Darren Debono and Claude Mattocks need time to gel at their new environs and today Aquilina is expected to stick to his old guard as he looks for a steady start to their championship defence.

Msida effected a 'mini-revolution' this summer after Italian Roberto Goveani was voted in charge of the club's administration with ten new players at the disposal of new Italian coach Mario Petrone.

There's tight competition in the Msida squad not only for the starting XI but also for the three foreigners' berths with five overseas players on the club's books. Today, however, Italian defender Manuel Boni is out with a hamstring injury.

Valletta vs Floriana (today - National Stadium, 8 p.m.)
The derby between Valletta and Floriana is one of the highlights of the opening Premier League programme.

The big rivalry between these two neighbouring clubs has been ongoing for decades and even though in the last couple of seasons both failed to challenge for a domestic honour, the supporters on the two sides expect their teams to win this 'hot' match.

This summer, the Citizens have lost three members of the squad that tasted so much success in the 1990s.

Daniel Theuma joined Msida, Darren Debono returned to first-love Sliema while the much-travelled Ivan Zammit this time moved south to play for Marsaxlokk.

With J.J. Aquilina filling Atanas Marinov's void as coach, Valletta have acquired Czech Jaroslav Marx and Serb forward Nemanja Vukasinovic to replace the departing Nebjosa Stajic and Todor Simeonov.

Vukasinovic is out of today's match though as he is still nursing an ankle injury sustained during the Carlsberg Tournament last month. He will be out for four weeks.

Floriana have a new coach as well with former club stalwart Willie Vassallo replacing Bosnian Ziya Yildiz on the bench. Newcomers Ian Ciantar and Graham Bencini are both expected to make the team today. However, Vassallo will have to do without Jonathan Holland, struggling with a muscle strain, and Brazilian forward Edoardo Do Nascimento, still not fully fit. Andre Rocha Da Silva is highly doubtful with a groin problem.

St Patrick vs Hibernians (tomorrow - National Stadium, 5 p.m.)
On paper, Hibs have the easiest task of the big guns in the Premier League when they face last season's Division One champions St Patrick.

During the summer the Paolites lost some key members from last season's squad, most notably Adrian Mifsud, Miguel Mifsud, Cesar Paiber and Kevin Cassar. To make up for these defections, Hibs have taken on loan Edward Azzopardi, from Valletta, defensive midfielder Dybril Sylla from Sliema Wanderers and signed Australian goalkeeper Michael Xuereb.

Coach Robert Gatt is without injured defender Adrian Pulis (ankle) but striker Ndubisi Chukunyere should recover from a twisted knee.

St Patrick, under the helm of Bobby Giorev, look to start their campaign on a high as they seek to retain their status. The Zabbar side have added Brazilian forwards Sandro Costa Brazilino (Sannat) and Nigerian Chima Dozie (Naxxar) while goalkeeper Maurizio Valastro joined from Tarxien Rainbows.

Tomorrow, defender Arnold Buttigieg is likely to miss out with a leg injury.