The Technical Centre of the Malta Football Association has drawn up a return-to-activity programme for the national squads.
The programme, which comprises physical and medical tests, training sessions and tactical and technical meetings, is intended to aid the teams’ preparations for their upcoming commitments, marking a return to footballing activity for the national sides after the matches and training during the March and June international windows were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart from the senior national team, the Under-21 and the Under-19 sides will also start their preparation ahead of their commitments in the UEFA qualifiers.
The sessions of the Malta Under-21 squad, led by coach Silvio Vella, will also kick off on 5 July.
The Under-21s will resume their UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign in September with home matches against Northern Ireland and Romania on the 4th and 8th of the month respectively.
The squad selected by coach Silvio Vella is made up of:
GOALKEEPERS
Andreas Vella (No Club); Timothy Aquilina (Sliema Wanderers FC); Amara Sylla (Birkirkara FC); Cain Formosa (San Ġwann).
DEFENDERS
Gary Camilleri (Balzan FC); Conor Zammit (Hibernians FC); Dejan Debono (Senglea Athletic FC); James Scicluna (Pietà Hotspurs); Darren Borg (Ħamrun Spartans FC); Zachary Karl Grech (Pembroke Athleta); Christian Gauci (San Ġwann FC); Nicholas Pulis (Valletta FC); Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (N.K. Zrinski Jurevac, Croatia).
MIDFIELDERS
Adam Magri Overend (Santa Lucia FC); Mark Fenech (Naxxar Lions FC); Neil Frendo (No Club); Jamie Zerafa (No Club); David Xuereb (Hibernians FC); Marcus Grima (Balzan FC); Michele Sansone (Sliema Wanderers FC); Adam Bradshaw (Balzan FC); Jan Busuttil (Floriana FC); Jan Tanti (Senglea Athletic FC); Nevin Portelli (Tarxien Rainbows FC); Ayrton Attard (Hibernians FC).
FORWARDS
Aidan Jake Friggieri (Gudja United FC); Andrei Spiteri (Senglea Athletic FC); Omar Elouni (Sliema Wanderers FC); Zachary Brincat (Mosta FC); Alex Satariano (Sliema Wanderers FC).
The Malta Under-19 squad, under the guidance of coach Andrea Tedesco, will begin their schedule on 12 July in preparation for the 2020/21 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifying tournament between November 11 and 17, 2020.
Malta have been drawn in Group 10 along with England, Slovenia and hosts Wales.
In preparation for the return-to-activity sessions, the shortlisted players will undergo a series of physical and medical tests, including the COVID-19 swab test, in accordance with the health protocol prepared by the Association’s Medical Department.
The health protocol includes preventive and safety measures as recommended by the health authorities who had earmarked 1 July, 2020 as the return date for contact-sport training.