Adenis Shala, the Kosovar striker, has chosen this season to continue his career outside of Europe, joining the Nasaf Qarshi club in Uzbekistan, six months ago. From the difficulties in adapting, to the matches with the world football stars he played against in the Asian Champions League, Shala talks it all in an interview with Telegrafi.
Before this step, Shala played for well-known teams such as Hajduk Split and Fenerbahce, as a child, while in Kosovo he wore the jersey of Ferizaj, Feronikeli, Gjilan and Trepça ’89. He reached his peak at Shkëndija e Tetovo, where he continues to be loved by the fans.
The move to Uzbekistan for Shala has been a new challenge, not only in terms of sports, but also in terms of personal life for the Pristina footballer.
He has faced a major life change, having to adapt to a new country and culture, part of the Asian continent, where football is more physically intense than in Macedonia and Kosovo.
“I decided to continue my career in Uzbekistan because the championship there is strong. The reason I chose Nasaf Qarshi is because it is one of the best clubs in the country and has a very professional structure.”
“It’s been a big change. Uzbekistan is part of Asia and adapting to life here is much more difficult than in Europe. But I’m trying to adapt better every day,” Shala told Telegraf.
Football in Uzbekistan is compared to Macedonia and Kosovo, as the attacking star, before moving there, was part of Shkëndija e Tetovo, where he was also declared champion.
“In my opinion, football in Uzbekistan is stronger from a physical aspect. There is a lot of intensity and strong players, more so than in Macedonia and Kosovo,” he added.
In addition to the domestic championship, Shala has also participated with Nasaf Qarshi in the Asian Champions League, where he has faced well-known teams such as Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad, gaining extraordinary experience from matches with champion players and internationally renowned teams.
“With our club we participated in the Asian Champions League. In the group we had many strong teams like Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad – teams with a lot of history and champion players. For me it was an extraordinary experience to play against them,” said Shala.
In these meetings, he faced world stars, such as Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante, while also talking about the conversation he had with Mario Mitaj.
“Karim Benzema is an extraordinary player and winner of the Ballon d’Or. Meeting him and having the opportunity to play against him was a dream come true. Mario Mitaj is a great player and person; I had the opportunity to talk to him after the match, where we mainly talked about the Albanian national team and I wished him success in the play-offs. I also wished him luck for the matches in March and I hope that Albania and Kosovo reach the World Cup.”
“N’Golo Kanté left a special impression on me – no player I’ve faced has left me like him. His simplicity and modesty are extraordinary, considering he’s won the World Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League. For me, this was a very positive surprise,” he concluded.
However, his future at Nasaf Qarshi remains uncertain, as there is a possibility that Shala will return to Europe next season. /Telegraph/