As Ħamrun Spartans gear up for a historic faceoff with FK Partizan in Belgrade this evening, some of their biggest fans are hoping for their team to deliver as they face a formidable rival. 

Ħamrun are just on the brink of making it to the group stages of UEFA Europa Conference League, a historic milestone for both the club and Maltese football as a whole, having claimed victory over Alashkert from Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Velez Mostar and Bulgaria’s Levski Sofia in their journey so far. 

However, with their final round, comes a tough opponent. FK Partizan are 27-time winners of the domestic Serbian league, although they’ve had a rocky start to the season this year. Last season, Partizan made it to the last 16 of the conference league before being eliminated. 

Despite their team coming up as underdogs against a team with a notoriously hostile fanbase, Ħamrun loyalists are in an upbeat mood and holding out hope for a positive result in this evening’s face-off. 

Joe Borg (second from left) with other Ħamrun supporters in Belgrade. Photo: Joe Borg

“Speaking to locals, it seems like Partizan are going through a rough patch, internal problems, uncertainty on how far the team can go,” said Joe Borg, who has joined a group of around 150 supporters in Belgrade. 

“Yesterday, some Red Star supporters told us it should be an easy game, but they are Partizan’s rivals so one might expect that.” 

“But our players have been in a similar situation in Armenia and especially in Bulgaria, we were definitely the underdogs, in a hostile environment we can perform and we can still get a favourable result, a tie would still leave the door open for us,” he said. 

Borg added that whatever the outcome, he was still proud to witness a part of football history in the making. 

“It’s unique and unforgettable, we are living through history without realising it,” he said. 

“This is a dream not only for Ħamrun but for national football.” 

Nigel Attard with Ħamrun Spartans club president Joseph Portelli on Thursday. Photo: Nigel Attard

Similarly, Nigel Attard said that the mood is light in the Ħamrun camp and while they’ve been warned to be careful around Partizan ultras, there is no shortage of merriment among the supporters. 

“It’s a good atmosphere. The team has been playing very well recently and Partizan seems to be having some issues, so there’s a decent chance for a good result,” he said. 

“While it’s a relatively small group of us, we’ve been warned about some of their supporters getting a bit too aggressive, so we’ve been careful not to wear any clothes with obvious references to Ħamrun or anything with the team badge at all while we’re out and about. We’ve also had a police escort with us from the airport and around our hotel.”

“While certain incidents are a part of football, it’s not really affecting us because the club has been vigilant about keeping the players and the fans safe.”

Attard said supporters had a meal with club officials ahead of the match and are expected to be decked out in full red and black as they head to the stadium this evening. 

“Everyone’s well prepared and we’re expecting a tough match, but we’re here for it.”

The supporters enjoying a meal together ahead of the match on Thursday evening. Photo: Nigel Attard

Antoine Costa said that watching Ħamrun come this far in an international competition was “a dream come true”. 

“A few years ago, saying that a Maltese team might make it to the group stages was basically a joke and today we’re literally one step away from it,” he said. 

“I would say that expectations are quite high and everyone is eager for a good outcome. While our opponents are a good team, they’re perhaps not at their best right now and maybe that’s something that can work to our advantage.” 

Costa added that, in the face of a hostile environment, the presence of even supporters is always a bonus. 

“It’s definitely going to be a hostile situation for the team, Partizan’s ultras are notoriously some of the worst in Europe,” he said. 

“But even having a relatively small group, it helps, knowing that they have their own supporters to cheer them on.” 

“Despite the circumstances, it's what happens on the field that counts,” Costa said.