Under-21 side goes for a training camp in Sicily

u21-malta-austria130206The Malta Under-21 team will be undergoing intensive preparation in view of their upcoming commitments in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in the form of a six-day training camp in Sicily between the 20th and 25th March. The training camp will also include two friendly matches against Sicilian teams – try-outs which are intended to assess the individual players and also gauge the technical and tactical levels of the team as a unit.

Coach Ray Farrugia, assisted by Ronald Vella, took a 21-strong squad so as to give as many players as possible the opportunity to benefit from the training camp in terms of skills and physical qualities.

Their training itinerary opens at Catania which includes a match against Catania Calcio Primavera on Thursday 22nd March.

The group will then travel to Agrigento for the second part of their training camp. On Sunday 24th, the Maltese are scheduled to meet Akragas Calcio, a team playing in the Italian fourth division.

It is to be noted that this training camp is the result of close ties between the MFA and Sicilian clubs. In fact two years ago the Under-21 team led by Ray Farrugia also started their Euro campaign with a training camp in Sicily.

The squad is made up of:
goalkeepers Jurgen Borg (Zejtun), Yenz Cini (Valletta), Jean Matthias Vella (Vittoriosa);
defenders Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara), Jayke Cuschieri (Brisbane), Louis John Cutajar (Norwich), Christian Grech (Pietà), Zach Muscat (Birkirkara), Jurgen Pisani (Pietà), Ryan Sammut (Tarxien);
midfielders Ayrton Azzopardi (Hibs), Johann Bezzina (Hibs), Clyde Borg (Floriana), Brooke Farrugia (Floriana), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibs), Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara), Daniel Zerafa (Hamrun);
forwards Daren Falzon (Naxxar), Jean Paul Farrugia (Hibs), Lydon Micallef (Vittoriosa), Stephen Pisani (Floriana).