Floriana FC have issued an official statement expressing their disappointment after four power outages interrupted their UEFA Conference League qualifying match against FC Drita at the Centenary Stadium on Wednesday night.
The club said the repeated interruptions had a significant effect on the match, arguing that European qualifiers should be played under conditions that protect the sporting integrity of the competition.
According to Floriana, the four stoppages broke the flow of the game, forcing players to repeatedly stop, wait for long periods and then restart play. The club believes these interruptions affected the momentum of the match while also creating opportunities for players to recover physically and receive tactical instructions that would not normally be possible during a UEFA qualifier.
Floriana also acknowledged the difficult task faced by the match officials, who were required to suspend and restart the game on four separate occasions while ensuring it continued safely and in accordance with UEFA regulations.
The club stressed that qualification for European competitions carries major sporting and financial importance. It said it was disappointing that circumstances unrelated to football had such a noticeable impact on the conditions in which the match was played.
As a result, Floriana confirmed they will engage with the relevant authorities to ensure the effect of the power outages on the club is properly recognised and appropriately addressed. The statement does not specify what action the club intends to pursue.
The statement concluded with Floriana thanking their players, coaching staff and supporters for the professionalism and resilience they showed throughout what the club described as a very challenging evening.
