The Sports Desk by Times of Malta

Joseph Portelli on what's next for his Ħamrun Spartans

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:30:00 +0100

Ħamrun Spartans' historic UEFA Conference League qualification has not only caught the imagination of many football fans but also instilled the belief that Maltese clubs can dream of playing at the highest level on the continent.

Club president Joseph Portelli sat down on the Sportsdesk podcast and vowed that his team’s success has increased his motivation to steer the team to higher objectives.

Karl Izzo says he is dreaming big for Malta's water sports

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0100

ASA president Karl Izzo has announced he is seeking a second term in office at the local governing body of aquatic sport.

Izzo spoke to the Sportsdesk team about his plans to overhaul the governing body's administrative format, plans to take over the national pool, and the successful bid to host prestigious aquatic events in Malta next year.

Pippo Psaila on why Malta football continues to disappoint

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Malta continues to disappoint in international football, and a recent string of bad results has reignited debate among fans about why the country is making little progress when compared to other small countries such as the Faroe Islands.

Former men's national team coach Pippo Psaila sat with Valhmor Camilleri on the SportsDesk podcast to discuss the problems holding Maltese football back.

VAR-lite is coming to Maltese football

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Maltese football is just weeks away from a major change with the introduction of the Football Video Support - a form of video assistance that is less resource-intensive than the VAR used in major leagues.

Alan Mario Sant, who chairs the Malta Football Association's Referees Committee, sat down on the SportsDesk podcast to discuss the impact of technology in Maltese football, referees' preparation and the challenges they face throughout a football season.

Malta football star Haley Bugeja eyes the next level

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 12:45:00 +0100

Haley Bugeja may just be 21 years old, but she's already accomplished more than most football veterans.

Fresh from signing a new three-year deal with Italian giants Inter, Bugeja sat down with Gianluca Lia to discuss her career so far and why she thinks the sky's the limit for the Malta Women national team.

Claudio Grech on securing Valletta FC's future

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:45:00 +0100

Valletta FC are gearing up for their first season back in the Malta Premier League after achieving storming back from a shock relegation.

President Claudio Grech tells the Sportsdesk podcast that he is focused on ensuring long-term success for the capital city's club and that things are looking good on its long-awaited stadium project.

How Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year drought

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0100

As assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur, Nick Montgomery enjoyed a rollercoaster season that ended with the London club ending a 17-year trophy drought with victory in the UEFA Europa League.

Montgomery was recently in Malta and sat down with Gianluca Lia to discuss the season and life in the English Premier League side as the right-hand man of Ange Postecoglou.

Joseph Muscat on his drive to change Maltese football

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0100

The 360 Sports Malta Premier stirred a lot of controversy in its inaugural season, due to a unique format approved and managed by the 12 top-flight clubs.

Joseph Muscat, chairman of the Premier League and the mastermind behind this new format, sat down with Valhmor Camilleri to share his thoughts on the league's first season and his vision for the future.

Dorianne Theuma's Midas touch

Mon, 12 May 2025 18:30:00 +0100

Dorianne Theuma is a legendary figure in women’s football in Malta. As a player, she won the MFA Player of the Year award a record eight times, won a record 117 caps and became the all-time leading scorer of the national team with 26 goals.

Now she has turned to coaching, and her golden touch continues: Theuma led Swieqi United to their first-ever league title in the 2024/25 season.

In the latest edition of the Sportsdesk podcast, Theuma discusses her achievements and the current status of women’s football in Malta.

Jackson Mendoza: From cancer to the football pitch in eight months

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0100

In July 2024, Gżira United midfielder Jackson Mendoza got the fright of his life: a doctor told him that he was diagnosed with a lymphoma.

On March 2, 2025, Mendoza returned to top-flight Maltese football, entering as a substitute in a match against champions Ħamrun Spartans.

In this emotional interview, the Colombian footballer speaks about that difficult time, the people and things that helped him climb back to the top and what he hopes the future holds for him.

Fabio Spiteri - Malta's man of steel

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:48:00 +0100

Fabio Spiteri is the only Maltese athlete to have completed a DECA Ultratriathlon - 38km of swimming, 1,800km on a bicycle and 422km of running across 10 days.

It is a gargantuan feat that few athletes across the world have managed.

In this interview with Valhmor Camilleri, Spiteri discusses his first steps in athletics, his switch to ironman events, friendship with the late Jake Vella and work to train athletes in Gozo.

E29 Andorra's record-breaking football team captain

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 09:53:07 +0100

Episode Notes

Ildefons Lima is not only Andorra's national team captain, he's also a world record holder.

But the 40-year-old footballer who is so beloved in his country is currently in an awkward situation, in a tug-of-war with Andorra's football federation over its COVID-19 protocols.

He speaks to Gianluca Lia about that issue and more.

Note: This interview is in Italian.

E28 Former Malta international Jacob Borg

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 15:00:00 +0100

Former Malta international Jacob Borg looks back on a career that saw him represent the likes of Sliema Wanderers, Gżira United, Balzan as well as Finn Harps in Ireland.

In this interview, he tells Times of Malta's Gianluca Lia that he is currently taken a step back from football while evaluating some offers, and discusses life during the coronavirus pandemic in Australia, where he is living.

E27 From battling with Balzan to life in Australia's second tier

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 07:00:00 +0100

Harry Ascroft now plays in Australia's second-tier after a spell with Finn Harps of Ireland, where he played with former Malta player Jacob Borg.

He speaks to Gianluca Lia about that experience as well as his time with Balzan, with whom he played in the UEFA Europa League.

Ascroft speaks about the COVID-19 situation in Australia and how football is trying to restart there.

E26 Atalanta and the coronavirus in Bergamo

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 09:19:26 +0100

Giulio Ghidotti is an Italian journalist from Bergamo who covers Atalanta and Albinoleffe. He speaks to Gianluca Lia about the coronavirus situation in Bergamo and the slow return to normality in the Italian region.

Ghidotti also had a huge connection with Malta through journalism and in this interview he describes what the country means to him.

E25 From Maidenhead to Malta: footballer Joseph Ellul

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 06:30:00 +0100

Joe Ellul has had a positive season as a defender for Maidenhead, but his club and teammates are still unsure how the pandemic-affected season will pan out for them. What will the future hold for the lower league defender? Gianluca Lia speaks to him.

E24 Should the 2019-20 season be completed?

Sun, 10 May 2020 07:51:15 +0100

As the debate rages about what will happen to the 2019-20 season, Valletta FC vice-president Alex Fenech tells Valhmor Camilleri that if the BOV Premier League is cancelled it will have serious repercussions on the future of Maltese football.

E23 Former Sevilla star Diego Capel on life at Birkirkara FC

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 08:35:47 +0100

Former Sevilla star Diego Capel only managed four games in Maltese football before the coronavirus brought sporting activities to a halt. Now he is keeping fit, getting used to life in Malta and hoping to see football - and life - return to normal as soon as possible.

He speaks to Gianluca Lia about his experience so far.

The interview is in Italian. English speakers can read Gianluca's Times of Malta interview with Capel.

E22 Karl Izzo on Malta's waterpolo prospects

Sat, 11 Jan 2020 09:41:51 +0100

Malta's men's national waterpolo team will be competing in European Championships in Budapest later this month.
It is a big challenge, but national team coach Karl Izzo is confident that the team is well prepared.

Valhmor Camilleri speaks to Mr Izzo about the team's prospects.

E21 Ten minutes with Shaun Goater

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:34:08 +0100

Shaun Goater spent five years with Manchester City at the turn of the century, scoring almost a goal every two games and becoming a fan favourite.

The Bermudian striker remains very involved in UK football and is now a youth coach at Macclesfield Town.

Gianluca Lia spoke with him about the ongoing Premier League season.

E20 From Malta to Down Under

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 15:52:38 +0100

John Hutchinson won 11 caps for Malta between 2009 and 2011 and is to this day the most capped Central Coast Mariners player in the Australian club's history. He's now working as a coach at A-League side Western United.

Gianluca Lia caught up with the former Malta midfielder and heard what he had to say about sharing the dressing room with Michael Mifsud and Andre Schembri and how he's adapting to life on the touchlines.