Davide Mazzotta appointed national team interim head coach

Davide Mazzotta has been appointed interim head coach of the Malta men’s senior national team.

The Italian, who is making a return to the national team’s set-up after serving as senior assistant coach for three years between 2020 and 2023, will take charge of Malta’s remaining four games for this year.

With three points from the opening two UEFA Nations League Group D2 outings, Malta face Moldova in a crunch qualifier at home on 13 October.

The build-up for this important game includes a friendly match at the National Stadium against Turkmenistan on 10 October which will mark Mazzotta’s debut as interim coach.

“I’m honoured to be leading the Malta squad for the upcoming international matches. I’m very motivated to use all my knowledge and experience to bring the best out of the players and help the squad perform to the best of their individual and collective abilities,” Mazzotta said commenting on his appointment. “My familiarity with the players as well as the demands of international football makes me confident that, together, we can achieve the desired performance levels and results during this short period of time.”

Davide Mazzotta

Speaking on the appointment, MFA President Bjorn Vassallo said he is a competent coach who is well known to the squad.

“The present situation made it imperative for us to appoint a coach who is familiar with the national team’s set-up and Davide fits the bill perfectly as he was a key member of the technical set-up during his spell as senior assistant coach where his tactical expertise and football knowledge were greatly valued by players and technical staff members alike,” Vassallo said. “We are happy that Davide accepted to take up this role and we are confident that together with his staff, he can leave a positive impact in the next two international windows.”

The Italian coach, whose last post was as Technical Collaborator at Serie B club US Salernitana 1919, will be assisted by Ernesto Javier Chevanton.

A former Uruguay international who played at the top level with clubs like Monaco, Lecce, Atalanta and Sevilla, Chevanton, 44, was assistant coach of the Under-19 team of Lecce that won the Italian championship in 2022. The remaining members of the staff from the previous setup will not change.

The appointments of Mazzotta and Chevanton were announced earlier today during a meeting of the Malta FA’s Executive Board.