Malta FA, Catania in talks over youth co-operation agreement

The Malta FA have held talks with Serie A club Catania over the possibility of initiating a co-operation agreement on youth football.

“We have had discussions with the Malta FA about a joint venture with Catania Calcio,” Pietro Lo Monaco, the director general of Catania, told a news conference at the Centenary Hall yesterday.

“The MFA are putting great emphasis on the youth sector.

“It’s important that young Maltese players get the opportunity to come to a club where they can experience a reality of a higher level.

“We have put our structures and expertise at the disposal of the MFA. We hope that these efforts lead to a concrete agreement.”

In the past few months, the MFA have upped their investment in grassroots football, undertaking a series of initiatives aimed at maximising the potential of the country’s promising players. Argentine coach Sergio Soldano has been hired as part of the MFA’s project to create an academy for up-and-coming teenagers.

Meanwhile, Catania, who left Malta yesterday after a short winter training camp, have done well in the Serie A so far this season.

They are eighth in the standings on 22 points after winning five and drawing seven of their 16 matches.

Heartened by his team’s positive start, Lo Monaco is confident that Catania have what it takes to improve their performance in the Serie A this season.

“Everything is in place for Catania to do better in the league than we have in previous seasons,” Lo Monaco said.

“We have a pool of 30 players... in fact I believe we have to reduce the size of the squad. We have the right structures and passionate fans who follow the team.

“Everyone connected with Catania has a duty to do their best to take the club forward.

“As always, our priority is to stay in the Serie A but we’re also looking to make a leap in quality this season.”

Maxi Lopez is poised to leave Catania this month as the Argentine striker is admired by a host of clubs.

Up to a few weeks ago, Lopez was widely tipped to join Milan but reports suggest that the Serie A champions are no longer in the running to sign the former Barcelona striker.

Lo Monaco said Catania have received enquiries from a host of clubs for Lopez.

“Maxi Lopez... there was interest in him from Milan, Genoa and Fiorentina. Genoa have since signed Gilardino.

“We have also received offers from two overseas clubs. I must stress that we are only interested in a permanent transfer for Lopez... we will not consider loan deals.”

According to reports, Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are one of the foreign clubs pursuing Lopez’s signature. The other is Fulham.

The 27-year-old Lopez is one of over a dozen Argentine players in Vincenzo Montella’s squad.

Invited to explain Catania’s policy to recruit so many players from Argentina, Lo Monaco said: “I do like to work with Argentine players.

“I only have nine days every season, in March, to go overseas and scout for players.

“I always visit Argentina. I see around 300 players and there’s always some interesting pros-pects. The value for money in Argentine football is better than in most other countries.

“This explains the abundance of Argentine players in our squad but we’ve also signed others from the lower divisions, the likes of (Marco) Biagianti and (Giuseppe) Bellusci.”

Title fight

With only four points separating the leading four teams in the Serie A, the race for the scudetto promises to be keenly-contested.

Milan and Juventus are level at the top on 34 points, two ahead of Udinese and four clear of Lazio.

Lo Monaco thinks that the fight for the title is likely to go down to the wire.

“Technically, Milan are the best team,” he said.

“They have a formidable attack and if they sign (Carlos) Tevez they will become even stronger.

“Juventus are also doing well. They have worked on their group and improved their organisation. I believe the fight for the title will continue until the end of the season.

“Udinese are doing great things but their squad is not strong enough to sustain their title challenge. Furthermore, they are going to lose three key players to the African Nations Cup in the next few weeks.”