Birkirkara ready to make life difficult for FC Petrocub, says coach De Angelis

Birkirkara will kick off their European commitments with a tough UEFA Conference League tie against Moldovan side FC Petrocub in the first qualifying round, first leg tie at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off: 8pm).

The Stripes, who are again under the charge of Italian coach Stefano De Angelis, are aware of the difficulty this tie represents as they are up against an FC Petrocub side who have grown from strength to strength in recent years.

Last season, the Moldovans wrote the club’s history after reaching the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.

But contacted by the Times of Malta, coach De Angelis sounded positive on the Stripes’ aspirations to upset their more-quoted opponents.

“We are looking forward to this tie against FC Petrocub,” De Angelis told the Times of Malta.

“It’s clear that we have a very tough task on our hands as we were drawn against a very strong side, but we have no plans to throw in the towel just yet, and we are determined to fight hard and do all we can to try and turn the tie in our favour.

“I am very pleased with the work carried out by my players during the pre-season and we are ready to pose a serious challenge to our opponents.”

This summer, Birkirkara have strengthened their squad with the arrival of a string of quality signings that have given De Angelis a wider range of options in his squad, and the Italian said that could make a huge difference throughout the whole season.

“I am very pleased with the work carried out by the club’s administration, as they have brought in some quality reinforcements that provides me with the opportunity to give different dimensions to the team throughout a match,” De Angelis said.

“One of the biggest disadvantages I had last season was that towards the end of the campaign I only had one fit forward to play, but now, we have significantly strengthened that department with a number of players with different characteristics that will surely give us more threat upfront.

“I do not doubt that with this group of players, Birkirkara can mount a stronger challenge for the major honours this season.”

Asked to describe what kind of challenge he expects from Petrocub, De Angelis described the Moldovan side as a very tactically disciplined side.

“FC Petrocub are a very strong team,” De Angelis said.

“They are well prepared side, and they are very difficult to surprise with quick transitions as tactically they are very organised.

“One advantage they have on us is that their championship has already started and they have already three competitive matches under their belt, so they should have more match sharpness than we do.

“But as I said I am very looking forward to this match. I believe that our team are well prepared and we will do everything we can to make life difficult for them. I hope our fans will be behind us as their support will be crucial for tomorrow’s match.”