Stefan Giglio, the Lokomotiv Sofia midfielder, has been named in Malta's provisional 22-man squad for the Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovenia at the Ta' Qali National Stadium on Wednesday, April 30.
Sigfried Held's 22-man list, issued by the Malta FA yesterday, also includes veteran midfielder Joe Brincat, who missed the France qualifier because of injury.
On his part, Giglio was ineligible to play for Malta against France after he was handed a one-match suspension by UEFA. The 24-year-old Giglio, capped 27 times by Malta, has just returned to competitive action after recovering from an achilles injury.
Held has virtually kept faith with the players who made up the bulk of the squad selected for last month's qualifier against European champions France.
Defender Jeffrey Chetcuti is ruled out by suspension after he collected his second yellow card after coming on as a substitute in the 6-0 annihilation to France on March 29 in Lens.
Held's provisional squad features six players from Sliema Wanderers who wrapped up their 24th domestic title last week with three matches to spare.
Malta are bottom of Group One of the 2004 European Championship qualifying campaign with no points from five matches. With six points from the three matches they played so far, World Cup 2002 finalists Slovenia are second in the group, nine points adrift of leaders France.
Meanwhile, Malta U-21 coach Mark Miller has also named a provisional 24-man squad for the UEFA U-21 Group One qualifier against Slovenia scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at the Hibs Ground.
Missing from the 24-man party is Marsaxlokk midfielder Etienne Barbara who has been dropped from the U-21 squad for disciplinary reasons.
Squad
Goalkeepers - Kristian Calleja (Lija Athletic), Justin Haber (Birkirkara), Reuben Gauci (Floriana).
Defenders - Ian Azzopardi (Floriana), Clifton Ciantar (Floriana), Lee Lombardi (Pietà Hotspurs), Ryan Mintoff (Hibernians), Gareth Sciberras (Pietà Hotspurs), Kurt Farrugia (Marsaxlokk), Alex Muscat (Lija Athletic), Shaun Tellus (Lija Athletic), Kurt Zammit (Valletta).
Midfielders - Shaun Bajada (Floriana), Roderick Bajada (Hamrun Spartans), Jonathan Bondin (Valletta), Mauro Brincat (Hamrun Spartans), Christian Cassar (Floriana), Kevin Sammut (Sliema Wanderers).
Forwards - Nicolò Baldacchino (Floriana), Roderick Briffa (Birkirkara), Trevor Cilia (Floriana), Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (Floriana), Antoine Sacco (Valletta), Antoine Zahra (Hibernians).
Malta's 22-man squad...
Goalkeepers: Saviour Darmanin (Pietà Hotspurs), Mario Muscat (Hibernians).
Defenders: William Camenzuli (Birkirkara), David Carabott (Valletta), Ian Ciantar (Sliema Wanderers), Darren Debono (Valletta), Luke Dimech (Birkirkara), Carlo Mamo (Sliema Wanderers), Brian Said (Sliema Wanderers), Simon Vella (Airdrie, Scotland).
Midfielders: Joe Brincat (Sliema Wanderers), David Camilleri (Sliema Wanderers), Stefan Giglio (Lokomotiv Sofia, Bulgaria), Jonathan Holland (Floriana), Miguel Mifsud (Hibernians), Noel Turner (Sliema Wanderers).
Forwards: Daniel Bogdanovic (Cherno More Varna, Bulgaria), Malcolm Licari (Pietà Hotspurs), George Mallia (Birkirkara), Adrian Mifsud (Hibernians), Michael Mifsud (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Chucks Nwoko (Birkirkara).