The first BOV Premier League match after the international break promises to be a high-octane affair as champions Birkirkara square up to rivals Valletta this evening at the National Stadium (kick-off 19.30).

It is far too early in the season to talk of do-or-die matches but, amid expectations of a balanced championship, Birkirkara and Valletta will surely look at their first league encounter as an opportunity to seize a slight psychological edge in the embryonic title race.

Only a point separates the two heavyweights as Valletta have seven after winning two and drawing one match while Birkirkara have six after two victories and a defeat in their first three league games.

Valletta are keen to extend their unbeaten start to the season this evening with coach Jesmond Zerafa reiterating his mantra that consistency is the key to success.

“This is another important game for us,” Zerafa said. “We’re still unbeaten after three matches and the aim has to be to keep our consistency.

“It will not be an easy match because we’re playing against the champions but this is a top fixture and our fans relish these kind of games.

“Valletta-Birkirkara is one of the highlights of Maltese football but the league is not just about these two teams. These are early days but it looks like we’re going to have a very competitive championship.”

Experienced defender Kenneth Scicluna is still recovering from hernia surgery but otherwise Zerafa can pick his team from a full squad.

A clash with Birkirkara inevitably exerts more pressure on the Valletta players but Zerafa is unperturbed by the prospect of taking on the champions.

“I’m not concerned about the pressure,” Zerafa said. “Frankly, I prefer games against top teams because you have more to lose when you play the less-quoted sides.

“Birkirkara have a strong and competitive team. We’ve already been involved in some tough matches this season, so we know what to expect.”

The Citizens have made a solid if unspectacular start to the season, having had to fight harder than expected to dispatch Vittoriosa Stars and Qormi while their encounter with Hibs ended two-all.

Valletta’s early-season form is not a worry for Zerafa who is backing his team to come good as the league moves on.

“Our performances in the first three games were not top-level but Valletta also have a different mentality this season,” Zerafa said. “As much as we’d like to produce eye-catching football in every game, our top priority is to get results.

“We also have to remember that we’ve made significant changes to the squad. Valletta have new foreigners, two new Maltese players and a new coach. It takes time for new people to settle in a new team but we’re getting there.

“The break from domestic football enabled us to address the mistakes we did in our first three league matches and to improve our teamwork.

“I’m optimistic because the players are willing to work hard and also because our squad is united.”

Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, described matches against Valletta as “a big challenge”.

“Any team that plays Valletta has a big challenge because their squad has enormous potential by local standards,” Zammit said.

“As I’ve said on many occasions this season, our target is to prove ourselves all over again and these matches provide an indication as to whether we are capable of reaching our objectives.

“The direct clashes are tough tests and I expect our game against Valletta to be similar to that against Hibs (Birkirkara won 2-1).”

Although Birkirkara and Valletta are regarded as the two main candidates for the league crown, Zammit echoed Zerafa’s view that the title race is unlikely to be a two-horse duel.

“I anticipate that the fight for the title this term will not be restricted to Valletta and us,” Zammit remarked. “There are other teams who can give a tough ride to anyone.”

For the first time this season, Zammit is expected to have a full squad at his disposal as Serbian defender Nikola Vukanac has completed a three-match suspension for his part in the VIP-zone scuffles that marred the BOV Super Cup match between Birkirkara and Valletta, which the latter won 3-2 after extra-time.

Shaun Bajada, Paul Fenech and Patrick Borg made their return in Birkirkara’s 2-1 win over Hibs after seeing out two-match bans.

“Since the start of the season, I’ve not been able to prepare for a match with a full squad,” Zammit said. “I have faith in all my players but I need my best elements, my full squad to find their rhythm but the difficulties we encountered in the early weeks of the season prevented us from doing this.

“Now that we have all our players back, we must aim to improve our consistency but we can’t take things for granted.”

The skirmishes in the VIP zone between some Birkirkara players and Valletta officials put a damper on what had been an absorbing Super Cup final and intensified the rivalry between the two clubs but Zammit rejected suggestions that those incidents may define the complexion of today’s match.

“I believe that the people in the administration of both clubs are mature enough to have put a stone on that episode,” Zammit said.

“We must move on. I don’t think that every meeting between Birkirkara and Valletta is going to rekindle echoes of the Super Cup final.

“No-one wants to see a repeat of those scenes in any match played here and as far as I’m concerned, I’ve paid not the slightest attention to those incidents in the build-up to our next game.”

Bajada, the 2009/10 MFA player of the year, picked up a knock on his thigh in the final stages of Malta’s 1-0 defeat in Georgia last week but he is expected to be fit to line up against Valletta this evening.

Newly-signed Scottish goalkeeper Michael Fraser will earn his first call-up to Birkirkara’s squad but it remains to be seen whether Zammit awards him a starting role ahead of Manuel Bartolo who produced a fine performance against Hibs.