Malta U-21 coach Silvio Vella talked up the importance of this afternoon’s friendly against Switzerland’s U-20 side at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off: 1pm) as the Malta youngsters step up their preparations for Tuesday’s Euro qualifier in Turkey.

Vella said that it’s no secret to say that exists a big difference in the level of intensity between Maltese football and international matches and therefore a friendly against Swiss team that boasts a lot of quality, will be a perfect warm-up for their testing assignment against Turkey.

“The Swiss team may be coming with their U-20 squad which is formed by players who in their majority already ply their trade abroad and that says a lot about their quality,” Vella said.

“This week my players have trained really well and are really focused on their position and duties on the pitch. My biggest concern is that the majority of the players do not have a regular place in the Premier League and that hurts their intensity in such matches.

“But hopefully, the match against Switzerland will surely give us a better picture on whether we are in good shape ahead of our difficult assignment in Turkey.

“Switzerland play a very similar kind of game to Turkey so it will be a good warm-up for us.”

The Malta U-21 coach has included in his squad Conor Borg, who is on the books of Roma, and Peterborough’s Andrea Borg and is keen to see them in action against the Swiss.

“Andrea Borg is a young winger who has only played once with the senior team of Peterborough but we have brought him year to discover more about his qualities. He has already been part of our U-19 team and I hope to be able to give him some playing time to see how much he can give to the team,” Vella said.

“As regards Conor Borg, he has been out for a long period of injury and is still trying to recover his full fitness but he is another player that I want to see him play against Switzerland.”

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jake Galea (Ħamrun Spartans); Andreas Vella (Mosta).

Defenders: Jean Borg (Valletta); Kurt Shaw (Sliema Wanderers); Karl Micallef (Ħamrun Spartans); Dunstan Vella (Hibernians); Kurt Zammit (Birkirkara); Neil Tabone (Żejtun Corinthians); Michele Sansone (Sliema Wanderers).

Midfielders: Conor Borg (AS Roma, Italy); Dexter Xuereb (Mosta); Nikolai Muscat (Gżira United); Jake Grech (Birkirkara); Dylan Agius (Pietà Hotspurs); Zachary Scerri (Gżira United); Juan Corbalan (Gżira United).
Forwards: Jurgen Degabriele (Hibernians); Joseph Mbong (Hibernians); Kyrian Nwoko (Valletta); Andrea Borg (Peterborough United FC, England).

 

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