Malta national teams head coach Michele Marcolini named Luke Montebello in his squad as the Italian coach was forced to make one change following the injury to Hibernians striker Jurgen Degabriele.
Marcolini is currently preparing his squad for a tough opening double-header in the European Championship qualifiers as the national team travels to Northern Macedonia to face the home side in Skopje on March 23 before hosting European champions Italy at the National Stadium three days later.
Degabriele picked up a hamstring injury during Saturday’s Premier League match against Marsaxlokk which saw Hibernians suffer a 3-1 defeat that dented their hopes of European football.
In his place, Marcolini has called up Montebello who was the protagonist for his club Ħamrun Spartans when he came on from the bench to score his side’s winning goal in a 1-0 win over Gżira United that handed the team their ninth Premier League crown.
For Montebello, Monday’s call-up marks a return to the senior national team after he was not included in the squad for the last international matches that were played in November.
