Birkirkara and Hibernians have their eyes firmly set on winning the 2025 Meridianbet FA Trophy as the two rivals go head-to-head for the Cup competition in the final on Sunday evening at the National Stadium (kick-off: 6.30pm).
Both sides are desperate to lift the trophy tonight for a clear reason.
Birkirkara, after suffering the heartache of seeing their title dream shattered following a 1-0 defeat to Ħamrun Spartans in last week’s Malta Premier final, will be hellbent not to miss out on a second major trophy as they look to cap what has been a very positive campaign with some much-needed silverware.
For the Hibernians, victory in today’s FA Trophy final is their only realistic hope of salvaging what has been a disappointing campaign by their standards after missing out on a challenge for the league title.
Added to that, lifting the FA Trophy would also ensure the Paolites return to European football after an absence of a couple of years.
Birkirkara coach Stefano De Angelis said that last week’s disappointment of missing out on the league title was still hurting among his ranks and is urging his players to use all their energy to try and make up for that disappointment by winning today’s final and end the season in the right way.
“This has been a season where we faced a lot of difficulties,” the Italian coach said.
“But even though we started from scratch, the players and the technical staff took it one step at a time to build a very competitive team that has done wonders this season. Nobody believed we could go as far as challenging until the end for the league title.
“It was a major disappointment to lose against Ħamrun Spartans in the final last weekend.
“But the players produced a great reaction in the Cup semi-final against Floriana, and we are now here, ready for another final, which will hopefully have a different ending.
“The situation is not easy, as we have a lot of players who are injured, Maxuell Maia is the only forward available on Sunday, the squad is tired after playing three very intensive matches.
“But what stood out in this group of players since Day One was their determination to keep fighting even in tough situations.
“I hope we can enjoy this final and that we can bring home the Trophy, which would epitomise the excellent work we have done this year.”
On his part, Birkirkara captain Alex Satariano admitted that losing the final to Ħamrun Spartans was a bitter pill to swallow but they are now fully focused on their showdown with Hibernians where they are looking to give something back to the thousands of Birkirkara fans who have been behind the team throughout the season.
“This is a massive opportunity for us to get something from the season and we are raring to go,” Satariano said.
“Our fan base at Birkirkara has been supporting us right from the start of the season. They came in big numbers for last week’s final against Ħamrun and did the same in midweek against Floriana, and we want to give something back to them.
“It’s going to be a very tough game against a very strong team for whom I have great respect for both the coach and the players.
“But this is a great opportunity for the players, the committee, and the fans to do something good for the club and we are very excited and motivated to reach our goal.”
For Hibernians, Sunday’s final is a perfect opportunity for redemption after what has been a tough campaign.
Coach Branko Nisevic issued a rallying cry for his players to rise for the occasion and ensure they put their hands on the FA Trophy which would also send the team to European football this summer.
“We are all aware of the importance of the game,” Nisevic said.
“The mental aspect is very clear, the ambition of the club is very clear as this is a match that means a lot for our season. There will be no need for motivation for the players as they know they have a job to do.
“Against Ħamrun Spartans the approach of our players was excellent and I hope there will be more of the same in Sunday’s final. We need to approach the match with the right frame of mind and be aggressive right from the start.
“This is a cup final that give us the opportunity to make amends for all the disappointment experienced this season.
“This game means everything for us, and it’s a chance for us to give something back not only to ourselves but also to the club committee and officials, as well as the fans that have been behind us right from the start of the season.”
Redemption
Hibs skipper Bjorn Kristensen has a lot of experience in winning major silverware and said that it’s time for everyone to step up and ensure they turn what has been a tough campaign into a memorable one with victory in the FA Trophy final.
“It wasn’t the best of seasons for us, as although we were very close to making it into the Top Six and fighting for a European place, we ended up in the Bottom Six,” Kristensen said.
“But now we have another opportunity to make it a positive season. Sunday’s match is a massive match, not just for us players but also for the club and the fans, and hopefully we can give them what they are all yearning for, another major trophy.
“On a personal level, this is my fifth FA Trophy final, winning two and losing two. For a player, the main goal is to try and fight for honours, and I will do all I can to help the team bring the cup back home come Sunday night.”
LAST TEN WINNERS
2013 Hibs vs Qormi 3-1
2014 Valletta vs Sliema 1-0
2015 Birkirkara vs Hibs 2-0
2016 Sliema vs Balzan 0-0
(Sliema win 5-4 on penalties)
2017 Floriana vs Sliema W. 2-0
2018 Valletta vs Birkirkara 2-1
2019 Balzan vs Valletta 4-4
(Balzan win 5-4 on penalties)
2022 Floriana vs Valletta 2-1
2023 Birkirkara vs Marsaxlokk 2-0
2024 Sliema vs Floriana 0-0
(Sliema win 4-2 on penalties)
