The Club
Birkirkara, also known as B’kara, were founded in 1950 following the amalgamation of Birkirkara United and Birkirkara Celtic. They are the current holders of the FA Trophy, Malta’s premier cup competition, having previously won it in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2008. ‘The Stripes’ won their first Maltese Premier League championship in the 1999/2000 season and have also been league winners in 2006, 2010 and 2013. They finished 3rd last season.
The club’s home kit consists of yellow and red striped shirts, red shorts and socks, while their away kit is all blue. They are sponsored by McDonalds. Their chairman, Dr Adrian Delia, is a 45-year-old lawyer who has been a supporter of the club since his teenage years. Head coach Giovanni Tedesco is a 43-year-old who joined Birkirkara this year after a year managing fellow Maltese club Floriana. Tedesco had previously had a short spell in charge of his hometown club Palermo (West Ham United’s previous opponents on the European stage before this season) before being moved to their Under-17 side. He has also had a spell coaching Foligno in the lower divisions of Italian football in 2012. Tedesco, a midfielder of diminutive stature standing at 5’7, spent his playing career with Reggina (1990-93), Fiorentina (1993-95), Foggia (1995-97), Salernitana (1997-98), Perugia (1998-2004), Genoa (2004-06) and Palermo (2006-10).
Birkirkara are regulars on the European stage, appearing in the UEFA Cup, Champions League and Europa League. This second qualifying round represents only the third time the club have got past the opening stage – they have not yet made a third round of European competition. On the previous occasions they have won through to a second phase they lost 1-0 on aggregate to Dynamo Moscow in the UEFA Cup of 2001/02 and 3-1 on aggregate to MSK Zilina in the Champions League of 2010/11.
The Players
One of Birkirkara’s most notable players is 34-year-old goalkeeper Justin Haber, who should wear number 16 and stands at 5’11. After starting his career with Floriana and a loan spell in Bulgaria with Dobrudzha Dobrich, he played 74 games for Birkirkara in his first spell with the club between 2002 and 2005. After short spells with French club Quevilly, Belgian side Virton, Maltese outfit Marsaxlokk, and Haidari of Greece, Haber joined Sheffield United in the summer of 2008. After failing to break into the team at Bramall Lane, he joined Hungarian club Ferencvaros on loan the following summer before signing permanently in January 2010. He signed for Greek club Kerkyra the following year but returned to Malta with Mosta in 2012. He rejoined Birkirkara in 2013. Haber, who has won 49 caps for Malta and is his nation’s first choice custodian, was injured for the first qualifying round second leg against Ulises after suffering a hamstring injury in the first leg but hopes to be fit to play at the Boleyn Ground.
Rowen Muscat, who will wear number 24, is also in his second spell with Birkirkara – he first played for the club from 2009 to 2014, scoring 5 goals in 114 appearances and returned this year after a brief 7-match stint in Hungary with Dunaujvaros. The 24-year-old midfielder made his international debut for Malta in 2012 and has now won 17 caps.
Fabrizio Miccoli is a 36-year-old forward who will wear number 10. Born in Italy and standing at a diminutive 5’6, Miccoli was proclaimed as ‘the new Del Piero’ after his performances for Casarano and Ternana earned him a move to Juventus in 2002. His pace and technical ability were displayed during a loan spell with Perugia before he fell out with Juve manager Fabio Capello on his return to Turin and half his registration rights were sold to Fiorentina in 2004. Despite initial interest from Aston Villa, Miccoli joined Benfica on loan where he was a success – when he returned to Italy, he signed for Palermo, with whom he stayed for six years from 2007 to 2013 and became club captain. After two years with Lecce, Miccoli joined Birkirkara last month, scoring the opener and creating another as The Stripes won their second leg 3-1 in Armenia last week. He won 10 caps for Italy between 2003 and 2004, scoring 2 goals.
Referee
Thursday’s officials are from Austria, with the referee being 35-year-old Markus Hameter; he was the man in the middle for Rabotnicki’s 2-0 Europa League qualifying first round first leg victory over Flora Tallinn two weeks ago. Hameter booked five players in that game.
Possible line-ups
Slaven Bilic will take charge of his first match at the Boleyn Ground with a line-up again consisting of a mixture of first-team and youth players expected. Adrian could start in goal while Stephen Hendrie could make his first appearance for the club at left-back. Mark Noble could return in midfield and Martin Samuelsen, who scored and impressed during Saturday’s friendly at Peterborough, could be given an opportunity from the start. With Andy Carroll and Mauro Zarate injured, Enner Valencia resting, Diafra Sakho suspended and Modibo Maiga the only other option, Elliot Lee should start up front. Neither Carl Jenkinson nor Angelo Ogbonna have been named in the squad so cannot appear in either leg of the tie. Dimitri Payet is suspended having been sent off for Marseille in his last European match – a 2-1 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund in December 2013 – but will be available for the second leg in Malta.
Birkirkara are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Justin Haber could return in goal if he recovers from a hamstring strain to replace Nigerian Ini Atkpan.
Possible West Ham United XI: Adrian; O’Brien, Burke, Tomkins, Hendrie; Noble, Poyet; Amalfitano, Samuelsen, Jarvis; Lee.
Possible Birkirkara XI: Haber; Fenech, Mazzetti, Vukanac, Camenzuli; Rowen Muscat, Liliu; Zerafa, Miccoli, Zach Muscat; Murga.
Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!