City hope to flourish against San Marino’s Tre Fiori

Valletta’s quest to make their mark in this season’s Champions League begins with a trip to San Marino after the Citizens were drawn against SP Tre Fiori in the first qualifying round yesterday.

After dominating the Premier League last season, Valletta have set their sights on a successful run in Europe and their pairing with SP Tre Fiori will have done little to dampen their optimism about their chances of reaching the second qualifying round.

“Besides Tre Fiori, Andorra’s Santa Coloma were the other club we could have faced in this round but the level of the two teams is, more or less, the same,” Valletta coach Jesmond Zerafa said.

“I don’t think there’s a big difference between the teams in the first round but the level of European football is always high.

“Nevertheless, I have full confidence in my players and our aim is to start the season on a high note by advancing to the second qualifying round.”

Zerafa revealed that Tre Fiori asked the Valletta delegation in Nyon, headed by president Victor Sciriha, to switch the ties but the City coach insisted on playing the second leg at home.

“They (Tre Fiori) initially suggested that we play the first leg here but I refused,” Zerafa said.

“We’d rather play in front of our supporters in the second leg as their backing could give us an edge in what will probably be the decisive match.”

Valletta, who are expected to travel to San Marino on Saturday, are away in the first leg, on June 28, with the return leg scheduled for July 6 at the Hibs Stadium.

The winner of the Tre Fiori-Valletta match will set up a clash with Lithuania’s FK Ekranas in the second qualifying round.

After reaching the second qualifying round of the Europa League in 2009, Valletta gave a good account of themselves in last season’s competition as they bowed out to Polish outfit Ruch Chorzow on the away goals rule after a 1-1 aggregate score.

The Citizens came from a goal down to beat rivals Floriana 2-1 in the opening game of the pre-season Euro Challenge Cup last Friday. They have made only one signing so far, that of Burkina Faso winger Ousseni Zongo.

Brazilian striker William Barbosa da Silva is having a trial with the champions and coach Zerafa will also be gauging the qualities of a 24-year Dutch forward in the coming days.

Valletta have also expressed an interest in Nigerian striker Alfred Effiong but talks between the two parties have failed to lead to an agreement so far.

Tre Fiori won their third title in a row last season. Their key players are keeper Massimiliano Mic-heletti, midfielders Enrico Buono-core, Paolo Tarini and Fabio Van-noni and striker Sossio Artuta.

Last year, Tre Fiori suffered a heavy 7-1 aggregate defeat to Mon-tenegro’s Rudar Pljevlja in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

Champions League

First qualifying round
Tre Fiori (San Marino) vs Valletta (Malta)
Santa Coloma (Andorra) vs Dudelange (Luxembourg)

First leg: June 28-29;
Second leg: July 5-6.

Second qualifying round
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) vs Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia)
Mogren (Montenegro) vs Litex Lovech (Bulgaria)
Maribor (Slovenia) vs Santa Coloma/Dudelange
Skenderbeu (Albania) vs APOEL Nicosia (Cyprus)
Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) vs Tobol (Kazakhstan)
Sturm Graz (Austria) vs Videoton (Hungary)
Zestafoni (Georgia) vs Dacia Chisi-nau (Moldova)
Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) vs Neftci (Azerbaijan)
Pyunik (Armenia) vs Plzen (Czech R.)
Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) vs Skendija (Macedonia)
Tre Fiori/Valletta vs Ekranas (Lithuania)
Malmo (Sweden) vs HB Torshavn (F. Islands)
Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) vs Flora Tallinn (Estonia)
Rosenborg (Norway) vs Breidablik (Iceland)
HJK Helsinki (Finland) vs Bangor City (Wales)
Skonto Riga (Latvia) vs Wisla Krakow (Poland)
Linfield (N. Ireland) vs BATE Borisov (Belarus)

First leg: July 12-13;
Second leg: July 19-20.