De Leo urges Malta to show intensity against Gibraltar

Malta head coach Emilio De Leo has called on his players to show greater intensity and personality when they face Gibraltar in Thursday’s UEFA Nations League clash at the National Stadium.

De Leo said Malta has studied Gibraltar carefully and warned his players not to underestimate their opponents, particularly after their performance against Andorra.

“We have studied Gibraltar and we have to approach this game with humility,” De Leo said. “They caused Andorra a lot of problems in their last match, so we know what kind of challenge we are facing.”

The coach stressed that Malta must focus on its own performance while limiting Gibraltar’s strengths. He called for a fast start and urged the team not to allow the tempo to drop.

“Our objective is to play our game and dictate the timing of the match,” he said.

De Leo also praised the squad’s atmosphere, noting that every player has been involved during the international window.

Forward Irvin Cardona said his priority is the national team rather than personal statistics. While scoring would help his confidence, he stressed that winning remains the main objective.

Malta enter the match looking to build on their victory over Andorra and strengthen their position in the Nations League standings. Kick-off is at 20:45 in Ta’ Qali.

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