As part of the MFA’s programme to cater for promising youngsters on the verge of being selected for Malta’s representative teams at youth level, the association’s academies in different categories are immersed in constant holistic preparation for the benefit of these up-and-coming footballers.

Training schedules, physical work-outs, friendly matches, which are also within training camp itineraries, are in keeping with this MFA Academy programme of preparation for these emerging youngsters selected from various nurseries in Malta and Gozo.

This time it is the turn of the Academy 1997 to benefit from a four day training camp in Sicily which also comprises two friendly matches.

The players, accompanied by their coaches, will be travelling to Sicily on Wednesday 31 October for an intensive training camp at Torre del Grifo, Catania. Besides several useful work-outs our boys will be playing two friendly games against their Sicilian counterparts. These will be against Calcio Catania on Thursday 1st November and against San Gregorio on Saturday 3rd November.

The group is expected back the following day after watching the Italian Serie A league match between Catania and Lazio at the Stadio Cibali.

The list of players is as follows:
goalkeepers Jamie Azzopardi (Rabat), Mikhail Sciberras (Balzan);
defenders Dayle Borg (Hamrun), Carl Joseph Cassar (Sliema), Christian Degabriele (Pietà), Iousef Meli (Sliema), Neil Spiteri (Floriana), Mirco Vella (Valletta);
midfielders Connor Borg (Floriana), Luca Bugeja (Hamrun), Daniel Buckle (Hibs), Juan Corbalan (Balzan), Jake Grech (Hamrun), Seymour Micallef (Hamrun), Mauro Sultana (Floriana);
forwards Luca Brincat (Tarxien), Luke Galea (Hamrun), Joseph Mbong (Hibs), Kyrian Nwoko (St. Andrews), Clint Zammit (Valletta).