Malta’s competitive trek on the global stage is due to commence in less than five weeks’ time when our team is scheduled to play its first 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group B qualifying match against Armenia on Friday 7th September at the National Stadium Ta’ Qali.

This will be followed on Tuesday 11th September by the much awaited away clash with Italy, one of the favourites to proceed to the competition finals. As a preparatory dress rehearsal to these matches Malta is due to face San Marino in a friendly encounter later this month.

In view of these important commitments national team coach Pietro Ghedin, who took up his appointment as Malta’s mentor earlier this year, resumed preparation for his team, this time on a more intensive scale after the short summer break. More physical tuning will be followed by technical and tactical drilling, phases which should be backed by psychological preparation.

The process of squad selection should eventually also be fine-tuned and based on the players’ form. To this end and in view of the first match against San Marino the national coach has prepared a full training schedule which comprises daily sessions.

The programme which commenced on Monday 6th August at the MFA Training Ground in Ta’ Qali is as follows:

Monday 6 August at 18.00 hrs.
Tuesday 7 at 08.30 and 18.00 hrs.
Wednesday 8 at 08.30 and 18.00 hrs.
Thursday 9 at 18.00 hrs.
Friday 10 at 18.00 hrs.
Saturday 11 at 08.30 and 17.00 hrs.

Departure to Bologna, via Rome will be on Sunday 12th August. The team will be back on Wednesday 15th August after which training will continue.

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