Floriana suspend Amamoo, Mifsud set to miss City opener

Birkirkara vs Qormi (today at 6.30 p.m., National Stadium).

Birkirkara will fancy their chances of opening their league trek on a top note as they take on Qormi.

Patrick Curmi and Stephen Azzopardi, the respective coaches of Birkirkara and Qormi, will have a host of new players in their squad.

Birkirkara’s keynote signings are midfielder Gareth Sciberras, Spanish goalkeeper Jorge Mora, Spanish striker Moises Avila, Brazilian defender Rodrigo Pereira and Malta U-21 players Leighton Grech and Terence Vella, the latter having earned a permanent deal after a one-year loan spell.

Shaun Bajada is out of the equation for Birkirkara as he’s recovering from ankle surgery while fellow midfielder Paul Fenech is nearing the end of his rehab from a knee injury.

The new boys at Qormi are Malta U-21 goalkeeper Steve Sultana, Brazilians Jorginho and Giuseppe Vela, Jeffrey Chetcuti, Dino Cachia and youngsters Christian Briffa and Sharlon Sammut.

Vela has been ruled out of today’s game due to injury while Joseph Chetcuti is suspended.

Marsaxlokk vs Mosta (tomorrow at 6.30 p.m., Hibs Stadium).

Marsaxlokk launch their quest to qualify for the Championship Pool with a game against newly-promoted Mosta.

The southerners have lost some important players in the close season, including Gareth Sciberras, Rumen Galabov and Alfred Effiong, but they have snapped up four new foreigners in Emiliano Lattes (Argentina), Obinna Obiefule (Nigeria), Carlos Campagnoli (Brazil) and Modesto Valeriani (Italy).

Winston Muscat, Marsaxlokk’s new coach, is expected to check on the fitness of Lattes and Florent Raimy tomorrow.

Mosta coach Oliver Spiteri has been active in the transfer market.

The Blues have brought in Ian Zammit and Kurt Magro on loan from Valletta, Luca Martinelli and Brazilian defender Rudi Alinho, who were with Melita last season, Sheldon Grech from Pietà, goalkeeper Glenn Zammit (Marsaxlokk) plus Argentine forward Diego Pedriaggi and Italian defender Federico Tisbi.

Floriana vs Mqabba (tomorrow at 8.30 p.m, Hibs Stadium).

Floriana will be aiming to bounce back from their 3-0 defeat to rivals Valletta in the Super Cup on Tuesday but their build-up has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding newly-signed goalkeeper William Amamoo.

Floriana have suspended Amamoo for 28 days after the Ghana international refused to play in Tuesday’s Super Cup because of contractual issues with the club.

Coach Michael Woods hopes to be able to bank on Nigerian striker Boris Odwong who, at the time of writing, was still waiting for his international clearance.

Newcomers Mqabba, under the helm of Clive Mizzi and Renzo Kerr Cumbo, have virtually retained the squad that won promotion last season with Brazilian striker Thiago Mazzittelli and Serbian defender Branislav Timotic handed new one-year deals. The other overseas player is Serbian midfielder Marco Potezica who played for Lija last season.

Timotic must serve a one-match ban today.

Ħamrun Spartans vs Balzan Youths (Sunday at 6.30 p.m., National Stadium).

Ħamrun Spartans start off with a game against Division One champions Balzan Youths.

The Spartans, under the charge of new coach Jesmond Zammit, are set to parade new signings Kevin Sammut, Gianluca Calabretta, Matthew Gauci, Brazilian striker Anderson Ribeiro and Croatian defender Nikica Gacesa.

They are also hopeful of com-pleting the necessary paperwork to sign Swiss midfielder Carlo Polli ahead of Sunday’s game. Striker Gaetan Spiteri is suspended.

Balzan, winners of the pre-season Hibs Sigma Tournament, have also been very busy this summer as they look to survive in the Premier League.

Coach Ivan Zammit has retained Brazilian forward Pedrinho and completed the signings of Albanian defender Bledion Guga, Hungarian forward Daniel Sibalin, Argentine striker Joaquin Dana, Malta U-21 defender Yessous Camilleri and goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri.

Valletta vs Tarxien Rainbows (Sunday at 8.30 p.m., National Stadium).

Buoyed by their Super Cup triumph, champions Valletta kick off their title defence with a tricky clash against Tarxien Rainbows.

Valletta are likely to be without Michael Mifsud after the Malta striker, scorer of a hat-trick in the Super Cup win, pulled his hamstring during the same game.

Brazilian Denni is also highly doubtul after suffering a knock in Tuesday’s final while his compatriot Ramon is still recuperating from a groin injury. Striker Terrence Scerri is suspended but midfielder Jamie Pace is available after serving his three-match ban.

Tarxien coach Noel Coleiro has greater resources at his disposal this season as the Rainbows have signed three Brazilians, Rodrigo Andreis Galvao, Roberto Fagundes and Caio Garcia Suguino, plus Maltese players Stefan Giglio, Karl Pulo, Nicky Vella, Karl Sammut and Adrian Carabott.

Defender Ryan Mintoff starts a five-match ban on Sunday after his dismissal in the Trophy semi-final against Valletta.