JPL Sport Events will be organising the second edition of the triangular tournament which is a continuation of last year’s first edition of the Malta Christmas Cup.

The event has been capturing local and international teams who consider the local weather conditions and facilities perfect for a winter training camp here in the Maltese Islands. For this year’s Malta Cup, JPL Sport Events attracted the interest of various teams, but the ideal team for the dates available with regards to the training facilities was the Italian Serie B side, Calcio Padova who are currently eyeing a potential play-off spot in their quest for a historic promotion to Serie A as they celebrate their hundredth anniversary.

Participating in this year’s edition, besides Padova, will be last year’s BOV Premier League champions Birkirkara, as well as Hamrun Spartans.

The Triangular Tournament is set to be played at the Hibernians Stadium on Sunday the 2nd of January 2011 and kick-off for the first match will be at 3pm. All the matches will have a duration of forty-five minutes and the first game of the tournament will be between Birkirkara FC and Hamrun Spartans FC.

Calcio Padova will play against the loser of the first match and in the third and final match they will play against the winner of the first match.

Tickets for the tournament, costing €6, are available from the following outlets: Eurosport – Birkirkara, Fenech Arredamenti – St. Venera, Birkirkara FC and Hamrun Spartans FC. In case of a draw after forty five minutes of play a penalty shoot will decide a winner of that game. Three points will be awarded to a winner of the match in regular time, two points will go to a winner after a penalty shoot-out and one point will go to the losing side after a penalty shoot-out.

Media present for the match will decide the outcome of the Cisk Lager Player of the Tournament.

Padova will be staying at the 5-star Radisson Blu Golden Sands Hotel & Resorts from their arrival on the 28th of December till the 4th of January and will probably hold a training session on the Golden Sands of Ghajn Tuffieha.

Amongst former players wearing the Calcio Padova shirt are Demetrio Albertini, Nicola Amoruso, Antonio Bennarrivo, Alessandro Del Piero, Angelo Di Livio, Stefano Fiore, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Christiano Lucarelli, and Walter Zenga.

Padova are celebrating their 100 years of existence and their stay here in the Maltese Islands fit in well with their festivities in their quest to expand their potential supporter’s base.

Parma, Hibernians and Valletta took part in the first edition of the Malta Christmas Cup last year.