Karl Micallef has been withdrawn from the Malta squad for the upcoming international matches.

The Ħamrun Spartans defender has entered a period of self-isolation for 14 days as a result of a contact-tracing exercise necessitated by a COVID-19 case concerning another person who is not part of the senior national squad.

Micallef, like the rest of the players called up to the national squad and the national team’s staff, has tested negative for COVID-19, but is self-isolating in accordance with the established protocols.

Hibernians defender Ferdinando Apap has replaced Micallef in Devis Mangia’s provisional squad for the friendly match against Gibraltar on Wednesday and the UEFA Nations League matches away to Andorra and Latvia. 

MALTA PROVISIONAL SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS
Henry Bonello (Valletta); Matthew Calleja Cremona (Hibernians); Jake Galea (Sliema Wanderers).

DEFENDERS
Andrei Agius (Hibernians); Steve Borg (Gżira United); Triston Caruana (Valletta); Ferdinando Apap (Hibernians); Zach Muscat (Casa Pia AC – Portugal); Enrico Pepe (Birkirkara); Kurt Shaw (Sliema Wanderers).

MIDFIELDERS
Samir Arab (Balzan); Cain Attard (Birkirkara); Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers); Ryan Camenzuli (Floriana); Matthew Guillaumier (Birkirkara); Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians); Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans); Rowen Muscat (Valletta); Joseph Muscatt (SC Paderborn – Germany); Steven Pisani (Balzan); Teddy Teuma (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise – Belgium).

FORWARDS
Jurgen Degabriele (Hibernians); Shaun Dimech (Valletta); Luke Gambin (Colchester United – England); Jake Grech (Hibernians); Paul Mbong (Birkirkara); Luke Montebello (Birkirkara); Kyrian Nwoko (Valletta).