Clayton Pisani will take charge of a Europa League group stage match for the first time this week in what is being hailed as a milestone for Maltese refereeing.

Pisani, who was promoted to UEFA’s category one earlier this year, has been appointed to control Thursday’s Europa League Group H match between Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon and KF Skenderbeu, of Albania, at the Estadio Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon.

The Malta FA refereeing department said in a statement that Pisani’s team will comprise assistant referees Alan Camilleri and Mitchell Scerri, Marco Borg and Philip Farrugia, who will act as additional assistant referees, while Edward Spiteri will carry out the duties as fourth official.

“This is the first ever appointment for a Maltese refereeing team in the UEFA Europa League group stages, although former FIFA referee Charles Agius had led a Maltese refereeing team that officiated a UEFA Champions League group stage match between Rosenborg BK and FC Porto (0-1) at the Lerkendal Stadion in Trondheim, Norway on October 16, 1996,” the Malta FA refereeing department said in their statement.

Adrian Casha, the Malta FA director of refereeing, expressed the association’s satisfaction at Pisani’s appointment.

“This is indeed another important chapter in the history of Maltese refereeing, the result of hard work, commitment and dedication by our match officials and the vision of the MFA to invest in its referees and train them in a professional manner,” Casha said.