Prudence is the name of the game for Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri in the lead-up to the home clash with Azeri team Neftchi Baku in the Europa League first qualifying round first leg at the Hibs Stadium today (kick-off: 6pm).
Spiteri believes that Balzan are better equipped to cope with the demands of continental football after making their European debut last year but warned that Neftchi Baku will be a very hard nut to crack.
“In football, you have to be realistic,” Spiteri replied when asked about Balzan’s chances.
“Neftchi have a great history and, only a few seasons ago (in 2012-13), they played against top clubs like Inter in the group stage of the Europa League.
“At Balzan, we know our limitations but we will try to play our cards well. This tie is over 180 minutes and it’s imperative that we are fully concentrated.”
Spiteri has made few adjustments to his squad, signing three new foreigners –Brazilian defender Bruno Oliveira, who impressed for Tarxien Rainbows last season, Brazilian midfielder Anderson Francisco De Barros and striker Borce Macevski, of Macedonia.
He is hoping that the new signings will raise the level of his team as the Reds look to maintain their upward trajectory on all fronts.
“I’m happy with the signings we have made,” Spiteri said.
“Bruno is a player we already knew after playing for Tarxien last season. De Barros and Macevski are new to our league. Bojan Kaljevic is almost a new addition for us as well because he missed most of last season.”
Striker Kaljevic, who spent several months on the sidelines due to a troublesome ankle problem, has been training regularly and is available for Spiteri but midfielder Ryan Fenech, another long-term injury absentee, is still out of the equation.
Fenech has resumed training but is still a few weeks away from full fitness.
A generally positive campaign for Balzan last season ended on a sour note after they lost the FA Trophy final to Sliema on penalties.
Missing out on what would have been their first major trophy was a big setback for Balzan but Spiteri insisted that the players have put that upset behind them.
Spiteri said: “We have just returned from a training camp in Cyprus which helped us a lot in pre-season.
“Surely, we have learnt a lot from our loss to Sliema in the final... that’s the sport. However, the dressing room remains strong and very much united.”
Spiteri describe Neftchi as a balanced team with a formidable attack.
“Netfchi have signed a couple of new players, including Edson Castillo who is a very talented midfielder. They are a very balanced team, good in possession and fast going forward,” Spiteri said.
Midfielder Dylan Grima called on his team-mates to look at the exploits of Italy and Iceland at Euro 2016 for inspiration.
“We know that we are facing a very strong team,” the Balzan captain said.
“But, we have been training well for the past month. The training camp in Cyprus helped us to prepare physically and mentally for these games.
“Looking at Euro 2016, if we manage to emulate Italy’s tactical discipline and show the determination of Iceland, I believe that we can make a good name for ourselves, Balzan and the country.”
Neftchi coach’s views
Neftchi Baku coach Vali Gasimov knows the pressure is on his team to progress but he is not taking Balzan lightly.
“We watched some games of Balzan on the internet,” Gasimov told reporters.
“They have some quality players and we are expecting a tough match. From the information we have, Balzan have a strong forward line, with valid foreigners as well as a number of players who are selected for the Maltese national team.”
Gasimov made it clear that Neftchi’s main target is to reach the second qualifying round and a match against Macedonia’s KF Shkendija or Poland’s MKS Krakow.
Neftchi travelled to Malta via Istanbul earlier this week but their press officer and a group of journalists had their flight cancelled in the wake of the terror attacks in Turkey on Tuesday.
Today’s referee: Jovan Kaludjerovic (Montenegro FA).