Valletta midfielder Jamie Pace has been left out of Malta’s 18-man squad for the Euro 2012 Group F qualifier against Greece.

Pace had been included in the provisional 24-strong list but his name was only conspicuous by its absence yesterday as Malta coach John Buttigieg named his final squad for Saturday evening’s game at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium (kick-off 20.30).

Pace’s absence is not due to fitness problems as the midfielder, who was handed a three-match ban from domestic competitions last week, trained normally in the past few weeks.

Another notable absentee from Buttigieg’s selection is Carlo Mamo.

The experienced left-back was left out as he’s getting married on Saturday, the day Malta take on Greece in Athens.

The other players who failed to make the cut are Marsaxlokk goalkeeper Reuben Gauci, Valletta defender Steve Borg, wingers Trevor Cilia (Birkirkara) and John Mintoff (Sliema Wanderers) and Floriana forward Christian Caruana.

Malta’s build-up to Saturday’s qualifier, their sixth in the Euro 2012 campaign, has been anything but straightforward in the wake of bribery allegations surrounding the country’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Norway four years ago.

Greece, who needed a last-minute goal by Vassilis Torosidis to edge out Malta at the National Stadium last March, are top of Group F with 11 points, one more than Croatia.

Malta are bottom of the group with no points from five matches.

Malta squad
Goalkeepers: Justin Haber (Ferencvaros); Andrew Hogg (Valletta).
Defenders: Edward Herrera (Hibs); Jonathan Caruana (Valletta); Andrei Agius; Shaun Bajada, Joseph Zerafa (both Birkirkara).
Midfielders: Roderick Briffa, Ryan Fenech (both Valletta); Clayton Failla (Sliema Wanderers); Paul Fenech (Birkirkara); John Hutchinson (Central Coast Mariners); Gareth Sciberras (Marsaxlokk).
Strikers: Daniel Bogdanovic (Sheff. Utd); Andrew Cohen (Hibs); Michael Mifsud (Qormi); Andrè Schembri (Ferencvaros); Ivan Woods (Floriana).