Balzan F.C.

Balzan Football Club is a Maltese football club from the village of Balzan, which currently plays in the Maltese Premier League. The Club was founded in 1937 and has played top-level football since 2010.

Balzan
Full nameBalzan Football Club
Founded1937 (1937), as Balzan Youths
GroundSt Aloysius' College (Malta)
ChairmanAnton Tagliaferro
Head CoachMark MIller
LeagueMaltese Premier League
2019–20Maltese Premier League, 7th
WebsiteClub website

The club has been one of the top teams in Malta for the last 5 seasons and because of this qualified for the Europa League for the last 5 seasons in a row. Balzan finished runners up in the Malta Premier League in seasons 16/17 and 17/18 and were finalists in the 15/16 FA Trophy Final, which they lost on penalties 5-4 to Sliema, after the game finished 0-0 after extra time. In May 2019 the Club finally won its first major honour, conquering the Maltese FA Trophy[1] after a classic final versus Valletta which finished 4-4 after extra time, but which Balzan won 5-4 on penalties.

Balzan FC First Team 2020-21

Players

Current First Team
As of 24 January, 2021[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  MLT Sean Mintoff
3 DF  NED Augustine Loof
4 MF  MLT Marcus Grima
5 DF  MLT Samir Arab
7 MF  SRB Milan Đurić
8 MF  MLT Paul Fenech
9 FW  USA Eric McWoods
10 MF  MLT Steve Pisani
11 DF  MLT Steve Bezzina
12 GK  MLT Andy Catania
15 DF  MLT Michael Johnson
17 FW  MLT Alfred Effiong
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF  SRB Uroš Ljubomirac
20 FW  NED Suleiman Jalu
22 DF  MLT Gary Camilleri
23 MF  SRB Stefan Dimić
30 MF  BRA Pedro Augusto
44 MF  MLT Zak Grech
50 FW  BRA Wéverton
55 MF  SRB Aleksa Andrejic
83 GK  SRB Vukašin Vraneš
77 FW  NED Moussa Sanoh
88 MF  MLT Sean Cipriott
99 DF  GAM Moussa Kamara

Club officials and coaching staff

Club officials

  • Honorary Presidents: George Borg, Dr. John Zammit Montebello MD
  • President : Anton Tagliaferro
  • Vice President: David Melillo
  • Secretary: Joseph Agius
  • Sporting director: Vladimir Simović
  • Treasurer: Peter Cipriott
  • Club Doctor: Dr. John Zammit Montebello MD
  • Executive Committee Members:
    • Alex Bezzina
    • Clifford Cipriott
    • Louis Ebejer
    • Paul Meilak
    • Diane Cassar
    • Mario Nappa
    • Robert Tagliaferro
    • Frank Vella Bardon
    • Anton Vidal
    • Alex Attard
    • Eric Galea

Coaching staff

  • Head Coach: Mark Miller[3]
  • Assistant Coach: Joe Grech[3]
  • Nursery Head Coach: Ludvic Bartolo
  • Goalkeeping Coach: Edward Bartolo
  • Kit Manager: Anthony Lanzon
  • Team Manager: Peter Cipriott
  • Assistant Kit Manager: John Borg

Club facilities

The Club's Administration Building ‘Solerville’ is located at Main Street, Balzan. A bar and garden restaurant on the ground floor are open to the public. The Club’s modern training facilities, located at Robert Mifsud Bonnici Street, Lija, include a clubhouse and a full size pitch with synthetic turf. The clubhouse includes a conference room, a bar and a gymnasium and was officially opened on 13 March 2011. From September 2015, Balzan F.C. teams also commenced training at St Aloysius' College Ground, after this ground underwent a major upgrade.

In 2019 Balzan FC started the construction of an additional 2 storey clubhouse at its Lija ground which will feature additional changing room facilities, as well as accommodation for visiting teams. The building is expected to be completed in late 2020.

St Aloysius' College ground
"Solerville"
Training Centre








Honours
Balzan F.C. wins its first major honour by winning the Maltese FA Trophy against 2017–18 champions Valletta 5-4 on penalties, after the thrilling final had ended in a 4-4 draw after extra-time on 18 May 2019.

Placements

European record


Balzan F.C. players and supporters celebrate their Club's historic qualification to the UEFA Europa League following a 3 -1 victory over until then unbeaten 14/15 champions Hibernians F.C. on 26 April 2015.
Balzan F.C. players and officials celebrate their Club's historic qualification to the second round of the UEFA Europa League, after winning against Keşla FK 5-3 on aggregate at Dalga Arena, Baku Azerbaijan on 19 July 2018.

Matches
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1Q Željezničar 0–2 0–1 0–3
2016–17 UEFA Europa League 1Q Neftçi PFC Baki 0–2 2–1 2–3
2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1Q Videoton 3−3 0−2 3−5
2018–19 UEFA Europa League 1Q Keşla FK 4−1 1−2 5−3
2Q ŠK Slovan Bratislava 2–1 1−3 3−4
2019–20 UEFA Europa League 1Q NK Domžale 3–4 0–1 3–5
Notes
  • 1Q: First qualifying round
  • 2Q: Second qualifying round


Managerial history
Manager Period
Paul Barbara1989–90
Jimmy Briffa1990–93
Alberto Cristiano1993–94
Ronnie Cocks1994–95
France Scicluna1995–97
Joe Attard1997–98
Stephen Azzopardi1998–02
Fatos Daja2002–03
Jimmy Briffa2003–05
Mario Monreal2005–06
Charles Borg Sant2006–07
Alfred Attard2007–08
Ivan Zammit2008–13
David Carabott2009–10
Riccardo Tumiatti2013
Jesmond Zerafa2013–14
Oliver Spiteri2014–17
Marko Mićović2017-19
Jacques Scerri2019-20
Mark Miller2020-
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

References
  1. Camilleri, Valhmor (May 18, 2019). "Effiong scores four as Balzan win first-ever FA Trophy". Times of Malta. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  2. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2017/clubs/club=84734/index.html
  3. Camilleri, Valhmor (22 June 2020). "Miller named as new Balzan coach". Times of Malta. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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