Birkirkara F.C. have parted ways with head coach Gianluca Festa following Saturday’s defeat to Marsaxlokk F.C., bringing an abrupt end to his short spell in charge.
The decision was taken later on Saturday evening, with the club acting swiftly in the aftermath of the loss as pressure continued to mount following an inconsistent run of results. Festa becomes the second coach to be dismissed by Birkirkara this season, after De Angelis had already been relieved of his duties earlier in the campaign.
Minutes after the decision was made, MaltaSport was able to confirm that Festa had been sacked. Shortly afterwards, the club issued an official statement to clarify the situation and announce the appointment of a new head coach.
Birkirkara confirmed the return of Paul Zammit, who takes over the first team for a fourth spell. Zammit previously led the Stripes between 1 July 2009 and 30 May 2011, from 3 October 2011 to 29 May 2015, and again from 6 September 2017 until 26 March 2019. Zammit had left Sliema Wanderers earlier this month to be replaced by Pablo Doffo, who is also not doing so well.
His reappointment signals a clear move towards experience and familiarity, as Birkirkara look to restore stability and direction during the Closing Round. Zammit now faces the immediate task of steadying the side and lifting morale after another period of uncertainty on the technical bench.
