Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1243341
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MAY 2020 NEWS NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sciriha's stand would mean that Valletta, last year's champions, will make it again to Champions League football in lieu of Floria- na, currently three points ahead of his team. This position appears to contradict the guidelines issued by UEFA, the European footballing body, that out- comes of tournaments that end prematurely should be determine on sporting merit in the 2019/2020 season. But the Valletta president is adamant that unless the tournament can continue in some way or another it should be nullified. "In France, Paris Saint-Germain were de- clared champions because they have a good advantage over their next rival but over the past few seasons Vallet- ta have had occasions where they won the championship in the last games and with just three points separating us and Floriana it is all to play for," he in- sisted. Sciriha reiterated his club's first preference was for the remaining six games to be played, even if in July and August. "The new season can then restart in October," he added. Not an option to nullify league But Floriana FC secretary general Dione Borg has rubbished the suggestion to have this year's tournament declared null, insist- ing that UEFA had already declared that nul- lifying leagues was not an option. UEFA guidelines suggest that if domestic competitions are prematurely terminated as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, national associations should select clubs for European club competitions "based on sporting merit in the 2019/20 domestic competitions". No reference is made to the previous season but UEFA insists the procedure for selecting clubs should be based on "objective, trans- parent and non-discriminatory principles". Borg insisted that on the basis of sporting merit alone, Floriana were in pole position to rightfully claim the championship. "We have been table leaders since the start of the tournament. We have the best goal difference. The league top scorer is a Flori- ana player. We have achieved all this on our merit and it should be reflected in any deci- sion that is taken," he said. Borg said Floriana's first preference was for the league to continue but acknowledged this was increasingly looking like an unlikely prospect. "We believe we can win it on our own mer- it but if the tournament is terminated, with 75% of games already played, the current standings should be used to determine who is champion, who gets to be relegated and who makes it into Europe," Borg said. Precedent when league did not end He noted that a precedent already existed when the league did not finish and the Malta Football Association still awarded the cham- pionship. In the 1984/85 seasons, the premier league was stopped with all clubs still having one more match to play because of a dispute be- tween the MFA and referees. "Floriana was relegated in that season with only one point separating the club from the three teams that ended above us, and Rabat Ajax were declared champi- ons, despite the massive importance of the last match," Borg said. Last week, the MFA executive committee de- cided to stop all football competitions with the exclusion of the Premier League, FA Trophy and Gozo football. However, in the absence of a clear timeframe from the health authorities when football can restart, the MFA postponed the decision on how to award the tournaments and de- termine relegation issues. The MFA has until 25 May to communi- cate its decision to UEFA by which time it would have to determine whether the Pre- mier League will continue and if not, how it intends to act to determine the outcome of tournaments. The association has until 22 July to inform UEFA of the four Maltese clubs that will take part in European football – one in the Champions League and three in the Europa League. Financial crisis But it is not just the determination of who will win the league that is weighing on the association. Football clubs have been starved of all income as the COVID-19 crisis shut down sponsorship money, and with top- flight clubs footing hefty wage bills, the situ- ation is having a massive financial toll. Most Premier League clubs, especially those with no aspirations for glory, want the league terminated to be able to release their foreign players. Some have already done so, depleting their squads and raising the prospect of an unfair scenario if the last remaining six matches are played. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in all aspects of daily social and economic life but in the football world it has also stoked the flames of rivalry and this is a situation less easy to control, it seems. VALLETTA AND FLORIANA AT LOGGERHEADS OVER FUTURE OF PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE "We've been table leaders since the start of the tournament. We have the best goal difference. The league top scorer is a Floriana player. We achieved all this on our merit and it should be reflected in any decision that is taken" Dione Borg ever, every player has to be even more responsible, professional and dedicated," Cini said. Despite the hurdles, Cini – whose team is poised to win the league if it can fend off a hungry Valletta FC – looks forward to getting back on the pitch, put- ting in an extra shift to return to top form. "It all depends on how well each player is training individually and how well we get back on track as a whole team. Regaining the same exact form would be difficult, but I'd like to think that our motivation would help us get there." Leading the pack by only three points, with rivals Valletta hot on their heels, Cini says Flori- ana are looking forward to be crowned champions after two decades. "It was a bit of a blow to stop. Having said that, everyone still holds the same desire and hunger to get back on the pitch and show everyone that Floriana FC are worthy winners this sea- son." Hibernians F.C. left wingback Myles Beerman shares Cini's sentiment, basing a return of form on individual training. "It is a question of having a collective effort which stems from individ- ual performance," Beerman said. The Hibs player said the club is giving players training and exercise routines, with the spe- cialised drills made according to the players individual needs. While maintaining the difficulty in having to recover match fit- ness, Beerman said the team is hungrier than ever to give that final push. "It is not a nice situa- tion for anyone, especially us, as we were starting to gain momen- tum. On the other hand, we are geared up and ready to return back to the game we know and love, so that hopefully we can make something positive of the remainder of the season." Riccardo Gaucci, Floriana FC president