Watch: Valletta and Gżira United look to end season in style in FA Trophy final

The two sides will be facing each other for the fourth time this season, having already met on three occasions in the Maltese top-flight. Valletta emerged victorious twice, while the other encounter ended in a draw.

Valletta have previously competed in 29 FA Trophy Finals, winning the competition 14 times and ranking as the third-most successful club in the tournament’s history.

Gżira United’s only previous appearance in the Final came in 1973, when the Maroons lifted the trophy following a second replay.

Valletta will start as the favourites to lift the FA Trophy for the 15th time in their club history and wrap up what has been a memorable first campaign back in the top flight, which also saw them win the Jubilee Cup last December.

Coach Thane Micallef admitted that there is great expectation for the final, and, although the team didn’t have a lot of time to prepare, they are still determined to go out and end the season in the best possible way.

“There is a great expectation for the FA Trophy final,” coach Micallef said.

‘We reached this stage of the competition after some fine performances against Ħamrun Spartans and Birkirkara, and we need to keep performing in the same manner.

“The team have been very competitive since the start of the season, and while there was great disappointment after the league semi-final defeat to Floriana, we still tried to take all the positives from that match and try to fix things we could have done well.

“The FA Trophy is the second major honour in our domestic season, and there is a lot of hunger and determination among the players to bring home the trophy.

“Looking back on the campaign as a whole, it has been a good season for us, and winning the FA Trophy would be the best way to highlight all our achievements this season.”

On his part, club skipper Brandon Paiber admitted that losing the league semi-final against Floriana was a bitter pill to swallow, but he says the team have put that setback behind them and are determined to end the season in the best way.

“This has been a very positive season for us,” Paiber said.

“We won the first major honour of the season, the Jubilee Cup, and although we failed to reach the final in the league, we are still determined to show that we deserved more.

“This final is the perfect way to put behind us the setbacks we suffered in the last fortnight. To play a final is a big motivation for us players, and I am looking forward to giving my all and helping the season and the fans to end the season in the best way possible.”

For Gżira United, the FA Trophy final is the perfect opportunity for the club to end a 54-year wait for a second major trophy.

The Maroons coach Darren Abdilla said that the pressure is all on their opponents, Valletta, but they are keen to continue to rewrite the club’s history books with a win in today’s final.

“This match is a perfect opportunity for a modest club like ours to write a new page in its history,” coach Darren Abdilla said.

“Many things can happen in a final. We have a very good atmosphere within the dressing room, and the players have worked extremely hard to reach this stage.

“We know what we expect from them, and I hope we can reap the rewards of all the work we have done throughout the season.

“In recent years, the club reached new milestones but have never managed to win any silverware. So for us, this is a great opportunity to revive the memories to those fans who experienced our trophy success in 1974 and help the club book their place in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.”

Gzira United captain Gabriel Bohrer Mentz described the Final as a huge opportunity for the Maroons to end the season with silverware, while also securing qualification for European competition next season.

“The atmosphere inside the dressing room is excellent, and everyone is very excited ahead of this Final. Every player is focused on fighting for the badge and doing everything possible to come away as winners,” he remarked.