Cassie Camilleri is calling for more medical support on the field after sustaining an injury during a match on Tuesday.

Cassie Camilleri, who needed eight stitches to the forehead after she was injured in a football match on Tuesday, has called for better medical facilities at Malta's stadiums to stem even more serious injuries.

Ms Camilleri, 21, who plays for the Birkirkara women's team, required stitches to her forehead when she was injured at the Mġarr pitch.

The physiotherapist there immediately realised she needed stitches and had her taken to the nearest clinic, but Ms Camilleri insists the medical assistance available to players during games is not adequate.

“There was a physiotherapist at the ground, and while he was very helpful, the assistance he could offer was limited. That's understandable. But as always, it’s only after someone gets seriously injured that action is taken,” Ms Camilleri told Times of Malta.

The footballer argued that considering the seriousness of some injuries suffered on the football pitch, medical professionals should be available to help on the spot.

Efforts are under way to construct a medically equipped room at every stadium that hosts matches from the MFA competitions in the very near future

Ms Camilleri also said the medical staff should be equipped with enough supplies to treat players at the football ground.

Contacted for a reaction, a spokesman for the Malta Football Association said the association takes the well-being and health of football players very seriously and as soon as details of the incident came to light, the association “carried out the necessary checks to establish what had happened”.

The spokesman confirmed that Ms Camilleri did receive immediate medical assistance from the first-aid person on duty. “The first-aid person also made a follow-up call to check on her condition and make sure that she had been given the necessary medical treatment at the health clinic.

“The MFA assigns qualified medical personnel to all venues where matches from all its competitions are played, and as far as women’s football games are concerned, we engage the services of physiotherapists who are also qualified in the administration of first-aid assistance,” the spokesman said.

Despite this, the MFA was constantly seeking to improve the medical services and facilities at local football venues and discussions were ongoing in order to achieve this, he added.

“Efforts are under way to construct a medically-equipped room at every stadium that hosts matches from the MFA competitions in the very near future.

“The MFA strongly believes that the availability of a medical room at every stadium would represent a significant improvement in the provision of medical assistance and treatment, as this would cover a wider range of games at different levels of Maltese football while making the best use of the resources available.”