Davide Mazzotta has been named the interim head coach of the Malta men’s senior national team. The Italian returns to the national team’s fold after serving as the senior assistant coach for three years from 2020 to 2023. He will oversee Malta’s final four matches of the year. Mazzotta was also interim coach for a short period after Devis Mangia was sacked and even led the national team to a 2-1 win against Israel in a friendly match in September of 2022.
Currently sitting on three points from their first two UEFA Nations League Group D2 matches, Malta is set to face Moldova in a crucial home qualifier on October 13. In preparation for this significant game, they will play a friendly against Turkmenistan at the National Stadium on October 10, marking Mazzotta’s debut as interim head coach.
Upon his appointment, the 54-year-old Mazzotta expressed, “I’m honored to lead the Malta squad in the upcoming international fixtures. I’m highly motivated to leverage my knowledge and experience to maximize the potential of the players and help the team perform at their best, both individually and collectively.
“My existing rapport with the players and understanding of international football gives me confidence that we can achieve the desired performance and results in this limited timeframe.”
Malta FA President Bjorn Vassallo commented, “Davide is a capable coach who is well-acquainted with most of the players in the senior squad. Given the current circumstances, it was crucial to appoint a coach familiar with the national team’s framework, and Davide fits that requirement perfectly. He was an integral part of the technical staff during his tenure as senior assistant coach, where his tactical acumen and football knowledge were highly regarded by both players and staff.
“We are pleased that Davide has accepted this role, and we believe that, along with his team, he can make a positive impact in the upcoming international windows.”
Mazzotta’s most recent position was as Technical Collaborator at Serie B club US Salernitana 1919. He will be assisted by Ernesto Javier Chevanton, a former Uruguay international who played for top clubs like Monaco, Lecce, Atalanta, and Sevilla. Chevanton, 44, was previously the assistant coach of Lecce’s Under-19 team that won the Italian championship in 2022. The remaining members of the coaching staff will stay the same.
The appointments of Mazzotta and Chevanton were announced today during a meeting of the Malta FA’s Executive Board.
