Lleshi of Telesport: “Without Panucci, Strakosha will be a starter for Albania…”

The 2-0 defeat against Turkey in the EURO 2020 qualifiers was the last straw: Christian Panucci was sacked by the leadership of the Albanian national team. Four months away from a two-year stint in charge, Panucci had a record of 4W-2D-9L over the span of 15 matches scoring nine goals, whilst conceding 25…

Although the squad selections were up to the 45-year-old Italian, the poor performances do not only weigh on the technician’s shoulders. Among the most talked about on the national team is also Etrit Berisha, who, since Panucci’s appointment, has been preferred over Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha. The former goalkeeper of Lazio and current goalkeeper of Atalanta has not had the best of form and because of his latest performances – including the last match against Turkey – he may see himself starring from the bench.

In an exclusive piece with Alfred Lleshi of Telesport, La Lazio Siamo Noi were able to interview the Albanian journalist and get the latest surrounding the national team.

The motivation for the exclusion of Strakosha from the EURO 2020 qualifying matches has not been formalized. However, as you know, there is talk of the traffic in which the goalkeeper was said to be stuck in in addition to Panucci’s reply, in which he told him not to show up rather than show up late. Rightly, rules are rules. However, I believe that the relationship between the two has deteriorated over time… The low use of Strakosha was a cause for frustration, especially for the player.

Yesterday, in the match against Turkey, Berisha performance was rather poor. It was severely contested, there was even a bottle thrown onto the pitch towards him. Strakosha is currently a better goalkeeper than Berisha; Etrit’s unsatisfactory performances could very well lead to a definitive change of keepers between the posts. 

For clarity, Strakosha has made some mistakes too, as in the match with Scotland. This is why Panucci preferred Berisha to him. Etrit surely has been more constant and has more experience, but in the last year his physical form has suffered, as well as his performances. So, yes, I believe that without Panucci, Strakosha will be a starter for Albania.

Tags Atalanta Etrit Berisha EURO 2020 La Lazio Siamo Noi Lazio Thomas Strakosha