Europa will be looking to break their Lions hoodoo this weekend after their big cup win last Monday.
The gaffer is also hoping the 5-0 triumph against Gibraltar Phoenix will also serve as a platform for when they play Lincoln in the Rock Cup semi-final later this month.
“The great result against Phoenix in the Rock Cup is a good barometer of the level we can play at when we are at 100%,” said Europa manager Johnny Parrado. “Based on merit the players deserved a victory like that after all the work they have been putting in over the last few months.”
Now Parrado will be turning his attention to the league and in particular one club that has surprisingly beaten his side twice this season already, Lions FC. But rarely have the Greens gone into a match with so much confidence or with all their injured players back to full fitness.
“The match against Lions will be the first of all the finals that we have to play in order to attain our objectives,” said Parrado. “That is how we will take on this fixture. We do not see it as an opportunity for revenge but only as three more points and the possibilty of beating a team we have not yet overcome this campaign.”
Meanwhile, Europa will be looking forward to playing league leaders Lincoln Red Imps in the semi-final of the Rock Cup. After beating them in last season’s final and drawing with them in their last game, the manager is relishing the challenge.
“We’re really looking forward to the semi-final against Lincoln,” he said. “It will be a great game against a top side, which will give us the opportunity to demonstrate, with all humility and respect, the level we are at.”
The league match against Lions will kick off at 4:30pm on Sunday at Victoria Stadium.