Valletta’s Denni runs clear against Balzan. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Birkirkara and Valletta have laid the platform to an exciting finale to this season’s Premier League as the two title rivals won their penultimate fixtures to set up a decisive showdown at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Champions Birkirkara threw down the gauntlet when they produced a stirring attacking display to crush Hibernians 4-1 on Saturday.

Valletta’s response came 48 hours later as they grind out a 1-0 win over a defensive Balzan side that kept them in the hunt for a league and FA Trophy double.

Birkirkara only need a point from Saturday’s match to seal the title.

The Stripes seem to have hit peak form at the right moment after winning their last three matches against Mosta, Sliema Wanderers and Hibernians in convincing fashion, scoring an impressive 14 goals and conceding just one.

Wing-back Edward Herrera admitted that there is growing expectations among his team to sum up what has been another positive campaign by winning the championship.

“For us the match against Valletta is an opportunity to reap the fruit from a tough campaign,” Herrera told Times of Malta.

“For most of the season we were among the most consistent teams in the league and, in fact, we led the standings for a number of months in succession.

“But everything will be decided in the next 90 minutes. We have one last hurdle to clear and will do everything to keep the league trophy at our club.”

Despite his team’s rich vein of form, Herrera knows Valletta cannot be underestimated.

“They have been on the rise in recent weeks,” Herrera, who also won the league with his former team Hibernians, said.

“Since the turn of the year they have shown better form and are yet to lose a match in 2014 and that speaks volume of their challenge.

“The season has now reached its defining moment and on Saturday we need to show that we deserve to be crowned champions.”

Saturday’s decider offers Valletta an opportunity to reclaim the crown they surrendered to the Stripes last year.

Veteran defender Luke Dimech said that given the bumpy ride the club went through this season it’s already a remarkable feat for them to have stayed in contention till the very last game of the championship.

“The players are glad to have taken the title issue to the wire,” Dimech said.

“We had a period of transition but after the club effected changes on and off the field the team showed signs of improvement and that is mirrored in our consistent run of results in the last four months.

“So, to still be in contention is a great achievement... but we’re still not there. Winning the league has become our main goal so now we have to see that the quest is completed.”

Dimech is also seeking to banish the bad memories of 2009 when Valletta were pipped to the post by Hibernians in another end-of-season showdown.

Again requiring victory to clinch the championship, Valletta could not go beyond a goalless draw against Hibs to concede the title to the Paolites.

“That’s an episode I’m not willing to experience again,” Dimech, yet to win a major trophy for Valletta, said.

“It was very hard to fathom and that upset will increase my resolve to help the team to succeed on Saturday.”

Asked whether he feels Valletta will be burdened by added pressure given that they need to win the match to leapfrog Birkirkara in the final standings, Dimech was not too sure.

“I think otherwise... Birkirkara will be the ones with more weight on their shoulders,” he said.

“They are the champions and have been leading the standings for several weeks now so I think they have more to lose than us. As regards Valletta, we have been chasing them throughout the Championship Pool so we have everything to gain.

“The one thing I’m sure of is that this match will be a great occasion for both teams to play in front of a packed stadium... hopefully I will succeed in winning my first championship medal for Valletta.”