Valletta face Pieta Hotspurs in bid for league and cup double

Valletta FC will be bidding to make it a league and cup double this season when they face Pieta Hotspurs in the BOV Challenge Cup final at the Centenary Stadium on Sunday.

The Citizens are on cloud nine after securing promotion to the Premier League on the first time of asking and in dominant fashion but will be keen to wrap up their campaign with another trophy to give further cause of celebration to their passionate fans.

Valletta’s path to the final was far from easy after going through a dramatic semi-final which saw them come from 2-1 down and secure a heart-stopping 3-2 win over ten-man
Żurrieq in midweek.

Coach Thane Micallef made it clear that the Citizens, after securing promotion, are determined to maintain their momentum and are desperate to win the Challenge Cup.

“When you go into the final on the back of a title success, there is always the risk of being complacent,” Micallef said.

“Yet so far Valletta have approached each game well and with the right attitude.

“We are going to do everything we can so that there is no form of complacency, and a final gives you the hunger needed to perform at the highest level possible.”

On his part, Valletta captain Brandon Paiber said that he felt that during the course of the season, his game improved a lot but is not resting on his laurels and is determined to continue to build on his career.

“Overall, I believe that I have had a positive season, and the fact that I managed to receive a National Team call-up again instils a sense of pride within me,” Paiber said.

“But I have no plans of stopping here as I will look to continue building on this in the coming season.

While Valletta fulfilled their goal to secure their place in the Premier League, the same cannot be said of Pieta who missed out on a return to the top-flight.

Coach Manuel Caruana said that his team were determined to end on a high and look at the BOV Challenge Cup as a perfect opportunity to reap the rewards of the work done throughout the season.

The Hotspurs made it to the final after a tight encounter against Tarxien on Thursday, emerging as 2-1 winners.

“Our team is mostly built on the young talent nurtured from our club’s nursery,” Caruana said.

“The unity there is in the team is unique given that the players in the squad have grown up with each other.

“While we will be playing against the best team in this year’s BOV Challenge League, it is also an opportunity for me to measure the work I have done with the team as a coach.”  

On his part, Zean Leonardi said that the team is looking forward to playing in the final.

“As a team, we feel very motivated as we have the chance to be rewarded for the season that we have had,” he said.