Malta national team coach Emilio De Leo has urged his players to demonstrate the progress they have made as they prepare to open their 2026/27 UEFA Nations League campaign against Andorra on Thursday.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, De Leo stressed that Malta remain determined to achieve the objective they set themselves at the beginning of their Nations League journey, despite changes to the competition format.
“Despite the change in format, we want to reach the objective we set ourselves at the beginning of this journey,” De Leo said. “We have shown resilience throughout this period.”
The Malta coach explained that achieving the team’s objective would also be significant for players who featured in the previous edition of the Nations League, recognising their contribution and the work carried out during that campaign.
De Leo expects a difficult encounter against Andorra, particularly with the hosts playing in front of their own supporters.
“We know we are facing a team that is playing at home. They are rapid, compact and we respect them,” he said.
“At the same time, we are determined to show the level of growth we have achieved.”
The coach also discussed the return of several Maltese players from overseas clubs to the domestic league, acknowledging the considerations and uncertainties involved in such career decisions.
However, he believes their regular involvement in Maltese football has benefited the national team, allowing players to train and compete together more frequently.
“We want to take the positive out of this. The players are now meeting more regularly and playing together in the same team. It is as if they never left the national team,” De Leo explained.
“We are more of a team now than ever.”
De Leo admitted that preparations for the Andorra encounter had been limited by the short international window but insisted that his players had made the most of the time available.
“We have met the players for only a few days, but this is the destiny of all national teams,” he said.
“We worked during the limited time we had and we hope that this will be evident tomorrow during the match.”
Meanwhile, Malta midfielder Teddy Teuma also expects a demanding encounter and stressed the importance of approaching the match with the right mentality.
“It will be a tough game. Playing here is never easy,” Teuma said.
The Sliema Wanderers midfielder believes Malta have the quality to secure a positive result, provided the players remain disciplined and follow the team’s tactical plan.
“We have to be better mentally and physically. If we stick to the plan, we have the quality and we know that we can take some points tomorrow.”
Malta will face Andorra at the Estadi FAF Encamp in Andorra la Vella on Thursday, 24 September, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm.
The encounter will mark Malta’s opening fixture in League D, Group D1, which also includes Gibraltar.
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