Balzan captain Dylan Grima has pulled out of the Malta squad for tomorrow’s Euro 2016 Group H qualifier against Italy after suffering a knee injury during training yesterday.

Forward Terence Vella, who completed a deadline-day loan move from Birkirkara to Qormi on Monday, has been called up to replace the unlucky Grima.

The 25-year-old midfielder had been the new face in Pietro Ghedin’s 23-strong selection for tomorrow’s game against Italy but his hopes of earning his first senior Malta cap were shattered when Grima felt a twinge in his left knee in the closing stages of yesterday’s session at the Ta’ Qali training grounds.

A distraught Grima was immediately seen to by MFA physiotherapist Joseph St John before having his knee checked by Dr David Attard.

Faced with Grima’s withdrawal, Ghedin opted to recall Vella who was one of four players on standby after being omitted from the initial squad on Monday evening.

The Malta squad will head out to Italy this morning on a chartered Air Malta flight to Pisa.

Ghedin will address the customary pre-match news conference late in the afternoon before the team’s training session at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.

Spurs youngster in Malta U-19 trial

The Malta FA Technical Centre’s drive to identify and lure promising players of Maltese descent is paying the desired divi-dends.

Joe Muscat, a highly-rated young midfielder who is on the books of English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, has accepted the MFA’s invitation to spent a few days training with the Malta U-19 squad.

Muscat is expected to figure in a couple of friendly games during his training stint with the Malta U-19s.

Last month, Sam Magri, the former Portsmouth and QPR youth player who this season joined Dover Athletic, secured a Maltese passport after declaring his intent to play for Malta U-21.