The white and red team continues its training sessions in preparation for the upcoming match, which will be played at home against Egnatia, one of the strongest teams.

From what we’ve learned about the training process at Skënderbeu, there will be some changes in the lineup. This is due to several players being injured, as well as some tactical adjustments to strengthen the team. Naturally, these won’t be radical changes, but three or four positions will likely see alterations.

It’s almost confirmed that Merlim will not play, and Pecani or even Franklin may start from the first minute. Meanwhile, the defense is considering Shaqe as a strong alternative who could swap places with Gerco.

There’s also a possibility for Tayo in the attacking line. In fact, he was expected to play in the last match but couldn’t due to having five foreign players on the field. Doka and Balaj are also nearly ready for this match. All these observations come from the training process where Gvozdenovic is experimenting with some changes.

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“This season is stronger than the last; many teams have strengthened and are playing well, but I want to emphasize that there are no obvious differences.”

These are the first words of the Korçë football icon Dhimitraq Xhambazi, who views this season as challenging for all teams. According to him, “There are no differences in points, at least from where Skënderbeu stands compared to the first place.”

The Korçë team has seven points, while the first place has 13 points, making it a recoverable difference for all others in this competition.

When asked who stands out at Korçë right now, Xhambazi emphasizes, “The group doesn’t have differences, but for me, up to this point, Rabiu and Rashica have stood out.” Thus, it seems that with the departures of several players, the group of standout performers has diminished.

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Although they are not starting players at the moment, Randi and Tare are two footballers who have been training individually during this week’s sessions for the Korçë team. It has been reported that both players are dealing with muscle injuries, primarily from strains sustained in the first week.

Randi was injured during the match against Tirana, while Tare picked up a muscle strain during a training session. As a result, both players may not be ready for the next match. Even though they are not starters, they have been on the bench, ready for activation in every game.

Randi has played in two matches, and Tare in one. If all three players, including Merlim, are not fit, they will watch the match from the stands, and in their place, three others will step in.

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Finally, the multi-sport club “Skënderbeu” announces its first signing in basketball. The club has confirmed the arrival of Daniel Nlandu Kiely.

No further details have been provided about this basketball player or his background, but it seems that Skënderbeu has set its sights on promoting the team to the top category this season.

In men’s basketball, Skënderbeu will compete in the first category this year, having finished last in the previous season. This season, they are determined to secure promotion to the Superliga. To achieve this, the club has decided to recruit players from outside, and Daniel Nlandu Kiely is the first name added to the roster ahead of the season.

The photo above features basketball player Daniel Nlandu KIELY, who has officially signed a contract with “Skënderbeu.”

Wishing Skënderbeu success in men’s basketball this new season!

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A significant absence appears to be looming for the Korça team in the upcoming match. As observed, midfielder Juri Merlim has been training separately from the group due to an injury he sustained.

Even if he recovers by match day, the chances of him starting are very slim, if not minimal. It seems that the coaching staff is taking immediate action and has several alternatives ready, with Franklin and Pecani being well-prepared for this position.

In fact, it can be said that Merlim has not been at his best lately, but his performance in midfield is crucial for the team’s progress. It appears he has lost some of his ability to strike towards the goal and score.

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The two Skënderbeu strikers featured in the photo above are number 10 and 11, which refers to Ermir Rashica and Ardit Nikaj. Both talented players have a bright future and are the wing attack for Skënderbeu, alongside Bismark at the top.

Both are part of the U-21 national team and, although they are not yet at 100% in terms of scoring, they are very important players for the red and whites and will undoubtedly continue to be so in the coming weeks.

Ermir Rashica has scored 3 goals so far, while Ardit Nikaj has found the net once in these 7 weeks, together totaling 4 goals.

In the Skënderbeu camp, there are high expectations from this duo, especially in this week’s match against Egnatia, and the red and white fans are undoubtedly looking forward to Rashica and Nikaj’s performances.

This pair is one that every Superliga team would love to have, which is why Rashica and Nikaj remain key starters, highly valued players, with one wearing number 10 and the other 11.

Go Ermir! Go Ardit!

Top Scorers for Skënderbeu in 7 Weeks of the Championship:

• Ermir Rashica: 3 goals
• Bismark Çarls: 2 goals
• Ardit Nikaj: 1 goal
• Elvis Prençi: 1 goal
• Mario Rabiu: 1 goal
• Lucho Vasques: 1 goal

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For the First Time in History, a Full Team of Albanian Referees to Officiate a European Match

A complete team of Albanian referees (main referee, assistants, fourth official, VAR, and AVAR) will officiate together in a European competition for the first time.

Enea Jorgji will serve as the main referee, with Denis Rexha and Ridiger Çokaj as assistants, Eldorjan Hamiti as the fourth official, Kreshnik Barjamaj as the VAR official, and Juxhin Xhaja as the AVAR official. They will ensure fairness in the match between Heidenheim and Olimpija, which is valid for the UEFA Conference League.

The match will take place on Thursday, October 3, in Germany at the “FCH Arena Heidenheim,” at 18:45.

Officiating at such levels is a testament to the growth of Albanian refereeing in European football.

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Although during these training days following the match against Tirana, the Skënderbeu staff has discussed with the players what was observed on the field, this has not been comprehensive. We mention this because today at 12:00 the team will have an analysis session, where through video footage of the match against Tirana, Gvozdenovic and his staff will show the players where they went wrong and identify the weaknesses in that game.

Naturally, there will be individual responsibilities as well as collective ones, but Gvozdenoviç will emphasize that the observed mistakes should not be repeated in the next match. In fact, the Korça team has been working in this direction, often seeing that penalties come from individual mistakes during moments of imbalance in the game. Although these moments are few, they have significant impacts, leading to goals conceded that have prevented the team from earning points, even though the overall performance has been quite satisfactory.

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In the previous season, the white and reds didn’t struggle to earn points in away matches; they had noticeable draws and even secured some victories. However, in the early weeks of this season, it seems they are struggling to find the right rhythm to collect points on the road.

Looking at their performance, all seven points have come from their home games, including the initial draw against Elbasan and wins against Vllaznia and Laçi. This fact has been acknowledged by coach Ivan Gvozdenoviç, who stated, “Last season we played better and earned more points away from home. This season, it’s the opposite. We need to stop here and change this statistic.”

This is a reality that is clear to everyone, and the points speak for themselves.

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The Super League will return this Friday, featuring the match between Dinamo and Laçi, which will start at 19:00. The weekend will follow with four more matches.

Interestingly, all matches this week will take place at 19:00. On Saturday, there will be two matches: Partizani vs. Bylis and Skënderbeu vs. Egnatia. The week will conclude on Sunday with Teuta vs. Tirana and Vllaznia vs. Elbasani.

WEEK EIGHT OF THE SUPERLEAGUE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2024

19:00 DINAMO-LAÇI

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024

19:00 PARTIZANI-BYLIS

19:00 SKËNDERBEU-EGNATIA

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2024

19:00 TEUTA-TIRANA

19:00 VLLAZNIA-ELBASANI

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