Agius set for Triestina trial

Malta defender Andrei Agius is to have a four-day trial with Serie B team US Triestina during their winter training camp in Malta this week.

Agius has received the all-clear from his club AS Melfi to train with Triestina who are due to arrive here early this afternoon on a direct flight from Rome.

Triestina Soccer School Malta, the organisers of the training camp, said in a statement that observers from the Serie B club, led by director general Marco Cernaz, have been monitoring Agius’s progress with AS Melfi and the national team over the past few months.

The 24-year-old Agius has been a regular in Malta’s defence for much of the past two years but suspension kept him out of the 3-0 Euro 2012 defeat to Croatia last month.

“I was pleased when I learned at the start of the month that Stefano Bazzacco, the general secretary of US Triestina, had written to the officials of AS Melfi requesting permission to include me in their squad for the training camp and the friendly tournament they will play in Malta,” Agius said.

“I want to thank the officials of US Triestina for this opportunity and for their interest in me. As always, I will be giving my all during the training camp and the tournament.”

Triestina will play against Premier League sides Valletta and Qormi in a triangular tournament –Capodanno Cup – at the National Stadium on Thursday. The first 45-minute match kicks off at 6.30 p.m.

The Triestina squad will be under the charge of newly-appointed coach Walter Savioni who took over from Ivo Iaconi last Thursday. Iaconi was sacked after Triestina slipped to the bottom of the Serie B table following a string of negative results.