On Saturday 16th August the ball will be set rolling in the BOV Premier League marking the start of a new season. Sliema Wanderers play Tarxien Rainbows at the National Stadium, while Birkirkara face Pieta Hotspurs at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.
It will be a nine-month top division trek which will come to an end in May next year after almost 200 matches. The race will reach its climax with the top team being declared champions and the bottom teams being demoted. The tussles at both ends of the 12-team table as well as those in mid-positions will be fierce and no doubt should produce some combative fare. All the contestants start with pre-season aspirations based on their respective strengths and setting their sights on reaching their targets. Champions Valletta will be eager to maintain their title-winning trail. They possess a strong squad capable of living up to their reputation as top contenders. Birkirkara should definitely offer the City team a serious challenge for the ultimate prize. The Stripes, too have a valid side which can go the whole hog and land Malta’s top honour. Hibernians and Sliema Wanderers are not masking their ambitions of success while Floriana, Mosta, and Balzan could also make their presence felt given that they improve on last season’s showing. The aspirations of Tarxien, Qormi and Naxxar L. and the promoted duo of Pieta Hotspurs, and Zebbug Rangers may be more modest, but if these teams can mingle their battling qualities with some solid fare they should also accrue some dividends according to their expectations. In the final reckoning, the football followers in Malta look forward to some quality football played in the best of sporting spirit despite the rivalry generated by the competition.