Stefan Giglio has been training with Sliema for no more than five days now but his transition has been aided by the presence of many international team-mates in the squad.
"I felt at ease straightaway," Giglio told The Times. "It has not been difficult to settle down here because I am surrounded with old acquaintances, players who I knew from the national team as well as from my time with Valletta."
The 24-year-old Giglio chose to join Sliema after falling out with CSKA Sofia coach Stoycho Mladenov. Although his move to the Maltese champions was sealed less than a week before the first leg of the Champions League tie with FC Skonto, he is still expected to be named in the starting line-up today.
The former Valletta midfielder admits that he is not at the peak of his physical powers but he is confident that he can still be useful to the Sliema cause this evening.
"I had nine days of pre-season training with CSKA Sofia before I returned to Malta. I am not 100 per cent fit yet but I am in good shape, more or less on a par with the rest of the Sliema players. On a personal level, the most important thing is that I have put behind me the injury setbacks that blighted my progress last season.
"Moreover, I also feel much more relaxed now that I have made my mind up to spend this season in Malta. In the last two weeks before I signed for Sliema, I was very confused," Giglio added.
Giglio was in the Valletta squad when the Citizens, then under Edward Aquilina, lost 2-0 to FC Skonto in Latvia, to bow out of the Champions League 2-1 on aggregate.
"Valletta produced a good performance in Malta and could have won by three clear goals had we taken the chances. The away leg was a different story, though, as FC Skonto were the better side and showed great potential."
Giglio is hoping that the Mediterranean humidity will give Sliema a boost.
"Given that kick-off is set for 5.30 p.m., I hope the heat affects them a little bit. Sliema are the underdogs in this two-legged tie but if we perform to the maximum of our abilities, we can cause a shock," Giglio remarked.
"A cautious, diligent approach by our team is a must if we are to keep alive our chances of qualification. We know that FC Skonto have already played 15 league matches, so we have to use our energy in an efficient manner because they ought to be sharper than us."
Giglio's move to Sliema is one chief reason why expectations of a good result have soared. On paper, the Wanderers have the strongest squad in Malta, comprising some of the most important elements in the national squad.
"Sliema have bolstered the squad significantly in the last few weeks and new acquisitions lead to greater expectations. That's normal, though, and to a large extent, it's also a positive thing. We know that the onus is on us to deliver the goods but I believe all the players here are experienced enough to cope with the pressure," Giglio said.