Partizan Belgrade start as favourites to complete their task and eliminated Ħamrun Spartans to ensure a place in the group stages of the 2022/2023 UEFA Europa Conference League.
The Serbian giants eased past the Maltese representatives 4-1 in last week’s first leg, with Partizan Belgrade opening a three-goal lead in the first 45 minutes.
Matthew Guillaumier had pulled one back for the Spartans before clinical scorer Ricardo Gomes wrapped up the tie with the fourth goal.
Despite the three-goal advantage though, Partizan Belgrade are wary about the danger of complacency in tonight’s second leg at the National Stadium, Ta’ Qali.
After dropping from the UEFA Europa League, Partizan are eyeing to at least participate in this competition for the second year in a row after reaching the last 16 stage in its first edition.
Defender Sinisa Sanicanin urged his team to be careful and make sure to finish what they started as he believes Partizan Belgrade are starting to find their form.
“We won the first leg 4-1 but we must remain cautious,” he told Serbian media.
“I think that we will approach the game a bit more relaxed than in the first leg when there was a lot of tension and pressure upon our shoulders.
“There will always be some things to adjust but we can hopefully get back on track as soon as possible and qualification would fast track the process.”
One of Partizan Belgrade’s key players in the first leg was Fousseni Diabate, who scored one of the goals in the 4-1 win.
The 26-year-old Mali player joined the club from Trabzonspor and just a few years ago he was even on the books of English side Leicester City.
“After the goal in the first match against Ħamrun Spartans, I was very happy for myself, for the team, for my family and I hope it will be first of many more,” Diabate said.
“We have to be very careful and we have to quickly secure the result in this game, so if we manage to score an early goal that would put us in a very good position.”
