Valletta’s Steve Borg (right) and Roderick Briffa try to block the run of Red Star’s Aleksandar Katai. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

Valletta FC were due to fly out to Serbia via Istanbul yesterday but the failed military coup attempt in Turkey forced the Maltese champions to change their travelling arrangements at the last minute.

The Valletta squad, headed by coach Paul Zammit, gathered at the Malta International Airport yesterday morning but the dramatic events in Ankara and Istanbul during the night left them with no option but to look for alternative routes to Belgrade where the Citizens will play Red Star in the second leg of their Champions League second qualifying round match on Tuesday evening.

Faced with such scenario, Valletta had to split their contingent into three groups as there were not enough seats on the direct flight to Belgrade in the evening.

The first group of players boarded a plane to Rome before proceeding to the Serbian capital. The second travelled via Prague and the third and last batch took the direct flight to Belgrade.

All the members of the Valletta squad, composed of 18 players and technical staff, were expected to arrive in Belgrade last night.

Yesterday’s events will have left the Valletta FC officials and players wondering why unexpected complications always seem to undermine their plans before a trip for a European game.

Last year, their build-up for the first leg of their Europa League first qualifying round match against Welsh side Newtown AFC was overshadowed by issues surrounding their UK visa applications for four players from non-EU countries who were part of the City squad last season.

The players were Tunisian Abdelkarim Nafti, Umeh Calistus (Nigeria), Thierry Tazemeta (Equatorial Guinea) and Maxim Focsa (Moldova). Only Umeh has remained with Valletta.

This year, Valletta also had a logistical headache to make their way to the Faroe Islands for the second leg of their first qualifying round match against B36 Torshavn.

Apart from the energy-sapping journey to the Faroe Islands, finding suitable accommodation for their squad also proved problematic as all the hotels were booked.

Despite all these travails, Valletta still managed to accomplish their mission as a narrow 2-1 defeat in Torshavn was enough to see them through on away goals after they had won the opening leg 1-0.

In praising his players for their brave effort in the away game against B36, Zammit alluded to the difficult conditions experienced by his squad during their stay in the Faroe Islands.

In the first leg of their second round match against Red Star, played last Tuesday at the Hibernians Stadium, Valletta lost 2-1.

Federico Falcone fired the Whites ahead with a brilliant strike after 15 minutes and also had a goal wrongly disallowed late in the first half before limping off with a quad injury.

Red Star (Crvena Zvezda) overturned the deficit with second-half goals from Aleksandar Katai and substitute Predrag Sikimic, and are now regarded as favourites to set up a tie against Bulgaria’s Ludogorets Razgrad or Montenegro side Mladost Podgorica.

Contacted by The Sunday Times of Malta yesterday evening, Zammit, the Valletta coach, confirmed that Falcone is out of Tuesday’s second-leg game against Red Star as the prolific striker is facing four weeks on the sidelines.

Zammit also has serious concerns over goalkeeper Henry Bonello who suffered an injury in the home game and could miss the return leg.

With second goalkeeper Nicky Vella undergoing cruciate surgery yesterday, Valletta are hopeful of receiving the green light from UEFA to include newly-signed Lithuanian goalkeeper Dziugas Bartkus in their squad.

Wide players Romeu Romao and Leandro Aguirre are also doubtful while defender Ryan Camilleri is still suspended.

Gżira United capture Gatt Baldacchino

Meanwhile, Gżira United have completed another signing ahead of their return to the Premier League after securing the services of Clifford Gatt Baldacchino.

The Malta defender, who started the national team’s friendly games against the Czech Republic (0-6) and Austria (1-2) in May, was expected to sign a three-year deal yesterday after the Maroons reached agreement with Sliema Wanderers for his transfer.

Coach Branko Nisevic has also signed young goalkeepers Juergen Borg, on loan from Hibs, and Jamie Azzopardi from Rabat Ajax.

Gżira, promoted to the top flight after winning the Division One title last season, are now expected to step up their search for new foreigners. At present, Nisevic is evaluating the qualities of a host of overseas trialists.

So far, Brazilian playmaker Rafael Ledesma and Spanish midfielder Moises Avila-Perez are the two foreign players confirmed by Gżira.

Ledesma spent the first half of last season with Sliema Wanderers before moving to eventual champions Valletta during the January transfer window.

Avila-Perez, formerly of Birkirkara, Rabat Ajax and Qormi, has another year left on his contract with Gżira United.