Muscat tipped for sports role in Maltese Serie C football project

Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is slated for a role to take a Maltese team into the Italian ‘third division’ league Series C.

Muscat, who yesterday did not deny his involvement in comments to MaltaToday, is believed to have held talks with the Malta Football Association over his involvement in a project to send a Maltese team to compete in the Italian Serie C.

Muscat met MFA president Bjorn Vassallo in Ta’Qali this week. Muscat, an avid C Milan fan, has already made clear his ambition to take an active role in a sports project after his resignation as prime minister. He will remain a Labour backbencher. “I am planning to be involved in a huge passion of mine which is the sporting sector,” he said in his farewell speech to Labour Party members.

Contacted by MaltaToday on Thursday, Muscat did not deny the story but refused to give details. “I am not giving any comments to the media at this stage and any announcements will be made in due course.”

MFA president Bjorn Vassallo also declined to give any details on Muscat’s involvement in the so called ‘Lega Pro’ project.

The plan is to create a Maltese football team of at least 10 Maltese nationals to compete in the professional Italian league in Serie C. Vassallo has openly declared his intention to create two teams that will be playing in Italian football. The second team will be an U-19 selection that will compete in the Campionato Nazionale Dante Berretti and will have around 20 young Maltese players in their squad.

Both selections are expected to be managed by Italian coaching staff under the supervision of national coach Devis Mania who is expected to be unveiled to the media in a press conference today.