Birkirkara to meet Sliema in curtain-raiser

Champions Birkirkara will face Sliema Wanderers in the opening match of this year's Euro Cup next Monday.

The second game will be contested by Valletta, the other team in this triangular tournament, and the losing side of the first match. If the curtain-raiser ends in a draw, Valletta will play Birkirkara in the second game, scheduled for June 23, as the Stripes were the first team to emerge from yesterday's draw which was conducted by Carmelo Bartolo, the Malta FA's senior vice-president, at the Centenary Hall.

The decisive match, on Friday, June 25, will be between Valletta and the winner of the first game or Sliema in the event of a drawn outcome in Monday's opener.

Euro Cup holders Hibs can't defend the trophy after they finished a disappointing sixth in the BOV Premier League last season.

As this year's Euro Cup falls in the midst of the World Cup, the MFA set a 6.15 p.m. kick-off for all three fixtures to avoid clashing with the matches in South Africa. Tickets for the Euro Cup games, which will be played at the Centenary Stadium, cost €8.

Bartolo acknowledged that the focus of football enthusiasts is on the World Cup at present but he also urged local supporters to back the efforts of Maltese teams, especially those competing in the Euro Cup.

"European football must continue," Bartolo said.

"Three Maltese clubs will soon be involved in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA competitions. Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers will play in the first qualifying round of the Champions League and Europa League respectively and Valletta will enter the fray in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

"The Euro Cup gives the teams competing in Europe the chance to gain some much-needed match practice ahead of their international commitments.

"It's hard for teams to arrange friendly matches at this time of the year. Furthermore, the Euro Cup is more than just a friendly competition because there is an honour at stake and the fans want their team to win it."

The draws for the first and second qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League will be made at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon on Monday.

Birkirkara and Montenegro champions FK Rudar Pljevlja are the two unseeded teams in the preliminary round of the Champions League. Thus, the Stripes will meet either Andorra's FC Santa Coloma or San Marino champions SP Tre Fiori in the first qualifying round (first legs: June 29/30; second legs: July 6/7).

Sliema will kick off their Europa League campaign on July 1 with the second leg scheduled for a week later while Valletta will be in action on July 15 and 22.

Bartolo explained that since Atletico Madrid, the winners of last season's Europa League, had already booked their place in the third qualifying round, the Citizens, winners of the U*Bet FA Trophy last season, have been allocated a berth in the second qualifying round of next season's Europa League.

Corruption allegations

The 2009/10 domestic season ended under a cloud of corruption after goalkeeper Simon Agius lodged a judicial protest against Sliema Wanderers, claiming that they had circulated false and slanderous allegations about him before the third place decider against Qormi.

A few days later, Sliema, who beat Qormi 2-0 to secure a place in the Europa League, announced that they had referred information about a bribery attempt to the police.

Asked for an update on the Malta FA's course of action in light of these allegations, Bartolo said that, under the association's new regulations on bribery, the MFA's prosecuting officer has the power to start investigating claims of corruption as soon as these come to light.

The prosecuting officer may also enlist other experts to assist in the probe.

"If the prosecutors conclude that there are grounds to file charges, the matter will then be dealt with by the relevant Malta FA board," Bartolo explained.

Euro Cup Fixtures

Centenary Stadium

Monday, June 21: 6.15 p.m. Birkirkara vs Sliema.

Wednesday, June 23: 6.15 p.m. Valletta vs Birkirkara/Sliema.

Friday, June 25: 6.15 p.m. Birkirkara/Sliema vs Valletta.