Kosovo has held its final training session before the friendly match against Andorra, which will take place on Sunday, June 7, at 20:00 PM, at the “Fadil Vokrri” stadium.
Coach Franco Foda, together with his staff, has worked on the final tactical details, game organization and the best possible implementation of tasks on the field.
The atmosphere within the team is positive, while the Dardanians are motivated to put in a good performance in the next match and return to victory in front of their fans.
Before the training session, coach Franco Foda and defender Mërgim Vojvoda appeared at the press conference, while the national team manager, Bajram Shala, provided information about the team’s composition.
Shala confirmed that goalkeeper Arijanet Muriç has been released from the squad after experiencing discomfort during training sessions.
“Following the decision of the coaching staff, in collaboration with the medical staff, it was decided not to risk him further and he was released from the squad last night,” Shala announced.
Goalkeeper Amir Saipi was unable to join the team due to family reasons. Forward Rilind Nivokazi was also released from the squad for the same reasons.
“Rilindi has had a sensitive situation in his family and we hope that everything goes well,” Shala stressed.
Meanwhile, after discussions with his club, Bersant Celina has asked the selector for understanding not to be part of the team in this match. Foda has accepted his request with understanding.
Foda: We must show from the first minute that we want victory
Coach Franco Foda emphasized that absences are part of football and that the National Team has proven before that it has sufficient alternatives to cope with them.
“In football there are always injured players and this is not a big problem for us. Even during the qualifying matches we have proven that we have been able to cope with the absence of players”, declared Foda.
He announced that the friendly against Andorra will be a good opportunity for less experienced players to showcase their skills.
“In friendly matches it is extremely important to give other players the opportunity to show themselves. The team must play with high intensity from the first minute, be aggressive in the game without the ball, apply our principles on the field and show that it wants to win the match at all costs,” added the selector.
Foda expressed his satisfaction with the atmosphere during the rally and asked for the support of the fans at the “Fadil Vokrri” stadium.
“It was a slightly longer training camp due to the two friendly matches, but the atmosphere remained very positive. The players had two days of rest between matches, during which they recovered and gathered new energy. Now we have to mobilize all our forces once again in order to play a good match in front of our audience. I hope we have the support of a large number of fans,” he stressed.
The selector also spoke about the meeting held with Bayern Munich talent, Erblin Osmani, who was visiting the FFK and the National Team’s training.
“It was very important that we got to know each other personally and talk to each other. He had the opportunity to create a clearer impression of the conditions and environment we have here,” said Foda.
He emphasized that the decision about the international future belongs to the footballer himself, but that the FFK will continue communication with him.
“Ultimately, the decision is his, as he has the opportunity to play for another national team. We will continue to be in contact. He is a very young player, who has had good development in recent months, but unfortunately he is currently injured. It remains to be seen what the future will bring,” the selector added.
Vojvoda: Every match with Kosovo is of great importance
Mërgim Vojvoda appreciated the importance of every gathering and match with the Kosovo jersey, despite the friendly nature of the meeting.
“It was very easy for me to come, because I think that all the matches with the national team are very important for the cohesion of the group. The goal is to create the necessary unity for the upcoming challenges, such as the Nations League and the qualifications for the 2028 European Championship. Every match has its own importance,” declared Vojvoda.
The Dardanelles defender also expressed his satisfaction with the adaptation of the new players to the team.
“The atmosphere is really very good. The young players have adapted very quickly and this is a positive signal. When some of the more experienced players are missing, it is an opportunity for the young ones to show themselves. There is new energy in the group, a desire to give their best for the National Team and to further raise the level of the team,” he emphasized.
Vojvoda also spoke about the emotions experienced with the club and the national team, emphasizing that achieving great success with Kosovo remains his main desire.
“If I had to choose between success with the club and the national team, I would definitely choose success with Kosovo. I am very happy that we managed to qualify for the Champions League with the club, but we were all very upset after losing the final at home against Turkey. We should not give up, because we will have other opportunities. I hope that we can achieve something great with Kosovo as well,” concluded Vojvoda.
© BalkansWeb