The Malta Under-21 National Team will face a challenging test on Wednesday evening, when Germany visit the Centenary Stadium for Malta\u2019s final 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The match, which kicks off at 18:00hrs, will be Malta\u2019s second fixture of the current international window, following Saturday\u2019s defeat to Northern Ireland, with Latvia to follow in the final match of the window on 6th October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Coach Davide Mazzotta, the immediate priority is to put the previous result behind the team while retaining the positive aspects of the performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe first thing we must do is to put behind us the result of the match against Northern Ireland. However, we need to appreciate various aspects of our performance which were positive, especially in the first half,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Malta U21 coach believes unity will be particularly important when facing a Germany side boasting players who regularly compete at the highest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI expect unity from my team. If we are to have a positive reaction, we need to be united and play for each other,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur growth and that of the entire Maltese football movement passes through great challenges such as this. It is a great stimulus for us to play against adversaries playing in the UEFA Champions League,\u201d Mazzotta added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven though super challenging, such matches are a dream for all,\u201d he added. \u201cI cannot wait to go down on the touchline.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mazzotta expects a demanding encounter against a Germany side led by coach Antonio Di Salvo, with Malta needing to combine courage with a balanced approach throughout the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI expect a lot from everyone. First of all, from myself, then from the staff and last but not least from my players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPlaying against a team such as Germany, led by Antonio Di Salvo, a great coach, we need a lot of courage and a balanced approach to the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt will be a match of great intensity, and we will not have any room for physical or mental rest and we know that we risk being punished for any imprecision,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Mazzotta, however, the most important element is not to allow the quality of the opposition to affect his players\u2019 mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe mistake that is often made against such great teams is that of feeling that one is a sacrificial lamb. When playing against them, every difficulty seems overwhelming, but we have to overcome this temptation. We know that this game will be like David against Goliath, but we cannot already feel beaten. Giving up at the beginning would be the worst mistake,\u201d Mazzotta stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mazzotta also stressed that the development of players remains a fundamental objective of the U21 National Team, particularly with a view to preparing them for senior international duty. He pointed to the recent National \u2018A\u2019 Team encounter against Liechtenstein as a positive example, with several players from the U21 setup being given valuable minutes at senior level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDuring the last senior team match, it was a pleasure for me to see various U21 players getting minutes under their belt with the senior team,\u201d he said, before adding that the staff will continue pushing the players on this front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Malta U21 National Team\u2019s UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier against Germany kicks off at 18:00hrs at the Centenary Stadium on 30th September 2026. Tickets for the match are available here. The match will also be broadcast live on TVMSport+.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Report: MFA<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photo: MFA<\/p>\n