National coach Pietro Ghedin named the provisional squad ahead of the two 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in programme in the coming days. Malta faces Bulgaria at the Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski in Sofia on Friday 22nd March and then hosts Italy on Tuesday 26th at Ta’ Qali.

Nicky Vella, Jacob Borg, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino and Justin Grioli are the four uncapped players in the squad.

The players selected by Ghedin are:
goalkeepers Reuben Gauci and Justin Haber (Birkirkara), Andrew Hogg (Enosis Neon Paralimni), Nicky Vella (Tarxien);
defenders Andrei Agius (Latina), Jacob Borg (Balzan), Ryan Camilleri (Hibs), Jonathan Caruana and Luke Dimech (Valletta), Clayton Failla (Hibs), Clifford Gatt Baldacchino (Sliema), Justin Grioli (Tarxien), Alex Muscat (Sliema), Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara);
midfielders Shaun Bajada (Sliema), Roderick Briffa (Valletta), Paul Fenech (Birkirkara), Ryan Fenech (Valletta), Edward Herrera (Birkirkara), John Mintoff (Sliema), Rowen Muscat and Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara);
forwards Danijel Bogdanovic (Valletta), Andrew Cohen (Hibs), Michael Mifsud (Valletta), Andre Schembri (Omonia Nicosia), Terence Vella (Hamrun).