Brazilian wing-back Marcelo Dias’s one-match ban is not the only concern for Hibs coach Branko Nisevic ahead of today’s match against Sliema Wanderers.
Striker Jorginho is still out with ankle trouble while Clayton Failla and Jorge are doubtful after both sustained injuries in the one-all draw with Birkirkara.
This week, Hibernians signed a defender from Equatorial Guinea.
Sliema Wanderers snapped a two-game losing run with a 2-1 victory over Naxxar Lions. Coach Stephen Azzopardi must make do without captain Alex Muscat, suspended, while striker Michael Mifsud is still nursing a quad injury but may be included in the squad.
The Blues, eighth with 13 points, have strengthened their squad with the signing of three young Colombian players, Hungria Alvaro (23), Sebastian Perdomo (21) and Fernando Cristian (21).
Basement clash
St Andrew’s, still without a point after nine games, and Naxxar Lions will be going all out to take maximum spoils from their basement clash this afternoon.
Saints coach Wayne Attard (picture) is expected to hand a debut to Eloy Edy Nkene, a 30-year-old defender from Equatorial Guinea who joined the club on Thursday as a replacement for Italian Nicola Andreis.
Naxxar, second-from-bottom with three points, will be without Italian defender Luca Lodetti, out with a hamstring injury, and Australian midfielder Richard Cardozo, suspended.
Oliveira wary of wounded Athleta
Floriana’s morale is sky-high after their 2-0 victory over the high-flying Balzan but coach Luis Oliveira preached a mantra of caution ahead of this afternoon’s duel with Pembroke Athleta.
“We are very motivated but we know that we are facing a wounded team,” Oliveira said.
“Our objective is to win but it will not be easy.”
Conor Borg is out of the picture for Floriana as the midfielder, who returned to the club on a season-long loan deal last summer after completing his move to Serie A club Roma, is still recovering from influenza.
Pembroke coach Winston Muscat, who was incensed by some refereeing decisions in the 2-0 defeat to Mosta, can’t name his best formation.
Goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia and Leighton Grech are still on the casualty list while Zimbabwean defender Patmore Shereni is suspended after being sent off two minutes into his Pembroke debut last weekend.
Brothers vie for no.1 jersey
Tarxien Rainbows are 11 points clear of Qormi but their direct clash tomorrow is unlikely to reflect that gulf, more so in light of the latter’s energetic display in the 2-1 defeat to Valletta last weekend.
“What I can say is that in the last 15 days we have shown significant progress in the way the team is preparing for the games,” Qormi coach Johann Scicluna said.
“On paper, Tarxien are not as strong as Valletta but we are keeping our feet on the ground, knowing that we are facing a team who are 11 points ahead of us in the table.”
Andreas Vella is back in the frame for Qormi after completing his recovery from injury. The young goalkeeper is competing with his older brother Jean Mathias Vella, who produced a man-of-the-match display against Valletta, for the no.1 shirt at Qormi.
Tarxien coach Jacques Scerri is not expected to make significant changes from the 1-0 defeat of St Andrew’s.
Ivan Zammit faces former club
The presence in the Mosta dug-out of coach Ivan Zammit adds spice to tomorrow’s game against Valletta as he will be facing his former club for the first time since his exit last summer.
For his part, Valletta coach Paul Zammit has described the game as “tricky”.
The Citizens head into this weekend’s games as Premier League leaders but a defeat to Mosta would probably end their short tenure at the summit, something Zammit is keen to avoid.
“It’s a tricky game because this year Mosta have shown that they can offer a stiff challenge to any team in the championship,” Zammit, who coached the Blues in the past, told Times of Malta.
Brazilian striker Jhonnattann is expected to be out for four weeks after having surgery on his injured wrist.
Captain Jonathan Caruana is still out with a groin injury but midfielder Roderick Briffa is in line to return after missing the Qormi with a tight hamstring. Brazilian right-back Romeo Romau is ranked doubtful after picking up a knock last weekend.
Ian Zammit is still suspended for Mosta while Dyson Falzon and Ryan Grech have been down with flu this week. Zammit is due to re-assess the condition of Nigerian striker Saviour Fidelis who is not 100 per cent fit.