Blerim Krasniqi

Blerim Krasniqi

Personal information
Date of birth	(1996-07-05) 5 July 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Kavajë, Albania
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Drita
Number	19
Youth career
0000–2014	Besa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2015	Besa	14	(1)
2015–2017	Apolonia	55	(23)
2018–2020	Skënderbeu	70	(15)
2020–2021	Teuta	34	(4)
2021–2022	Gjilani	35	(8)
2022–2023	Mioveni	23	(2)
2023–	Drita	35	(12)
International career
2013–2015	Albania U19	3	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 June 2024

Blerim Krasniqi (born 5 July 1996) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for ALBI MALL Superleague club Drita.^{[ citation needed ]}

Club career

Besa

Krasniqi was born into a Kosovo Albanian family that had settled in his hometown of Kavajë, which is where he started his football career at the youth team of local club Besa at the age of 14 in 2010. He made his senior league debut for the club on 11 May 2013 in a 1–1 away draw with Bylis, entering in the final 15 minutes in place of Didmar Duro. ^[1] He scored his first league goal for the club on 1 November 2014 in a 3–1 away loss to Iliria. His goal, the first of the match, came in the 16th minute. ^[2]

Apolonia

On 3 September 2015, Krasniqi moved to Kategoria e Parë club Apolonia by signing for an undisclosed fee. ^[3] He made his league debut for the club nine days later in a 3–2 home loss against KS Pogradeci. ^[4] He scored his first league goal for the club on 17 October 2015 versus Elbasani, netting the temporally equalizer in 70th minute in an eventual 2–1 home win. ^[5]

Skënderbeu

With 6 months remained in his contract with Apolonia, Krasniqi signed a pre-contract with Skënderbeu to join the club in Summer transfers window. Later on, the Skënderbeu's coach Ilir Daja was looking forward for a striker to compete with Ali Sowe and convinced the club to approach him for the winter transfers window. ^[6] On 8 January 2018 Krasniqi gave the club last goodbye to join Skënderbeu the following day. ^[7] Skënderbeu paid €15,000 to Apolonia and both clubs agreed that the later would keep 20% of his card. Then the following day Krasniqi went to Antalya, Turkey where the club was in preparatory stage and signed a 3.5 year contract. ^[6]

Krasniqi made his league debut for the club on 26 January 2018 in a 2–0 away loss to Luftëtari. He was subbed on for Emiljano Vila in the 85th minute. ^[8] His first score-sheet contribution came later on 4 March during the 4–0 home win over Laçi, with Krasniqi scoring the fourth of the match in 84th minute, just eight minutes after he had been subbed on. ^[9]

He played 9 league appearances during the second part of 2017–18 season as Skënderbeu won the championship for the 7th time in the last 8 seasons, marking Krasniqi's first silverware. ^[10] In 2017–18 Albanian Cup, he made 3 appearances as substitute, but did not play in the final, in which the team won 1–0 to Laçi for their first ever trophy. ^[11] The success also meant that Skënderbeu had completed the domestic double for the first time in history. ^[12]

Krasniqi was projected as a starter in the lineup by the newly appointed manager Orges Shehi ahead of 2018–19 season following the departure of Ali Sowe. ^[13] He began the season by playing full-90 minutes in the 2018 Albanian Supercup match against Laçi, being a constant threat to the opposite defenders as the team won 3–2 at Elbasan Arena. ^[14] His performance was goodly received by the media. ^[15] He opened his scoring account for the 2018–19 season on 17 September in the 2–0 win at Flamurtari. ^[16]

Mioveni

On 19 August 2022, Krasniqi joined Liga I club Mioveni. ^[17]

International career

Krasniqi received his first Albania under-21s call up by coach Alban Bushi for a gathering between 14 and 17 May 2017 with most of the players selected from Albanian championship. ^[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 May 2023 ^[19]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe [a]		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Besa	2012–13	Kategoria Superiore	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2013–14		0	0	2	1	—		—		2	1
	2014–15	Kategoria e Parë	13	1	1	0	—		—		14	1
	Total		14	1	3	1	—		—		17	2
Apolonia	2015–16	Kategoria e Parë	19	4	4	0	—		—		23	4
	2016–17		25	9	3	0	—		—		28	9
	2017–18		11	10	2	2	—		—		13	12
	Total		55	23	9	2	—		—		64	25
Skënderbeu	2017–18	Kategoria Superiore	9	1	3	0	—		—		12	1
	2018–19		29	6	4	1	—		1 [b]	0	34	7
	2019–20		32	8	2	0	—		—		34	8
	Total		70	15	9	1	—		1	0	80	16
Teuta	2020–21	Kategoria Superiore	34	4	3	0	2	1	1	0	40	5
	2021–22		—		—		1	0	—		1	0
	Total		34	4	3	0	3	1	1	0	41	5
Gjilani	2021–22	Kosovar Superliga	35	8	2	0	—		—		37	8
	2022–23	Kosovar Superliga	—		—		2	1	—		2	1
	Total		35	8	2	0	2	1	0	0	39	9
Mioveni	2022–23	Liga I	23	2	3	0	—		—		26	2
Career total			231	53	29	4	5	2	2	0	267	59

1. Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Europa Conference League
2. Appearance in Albanian Supercup

Honours

Skënderbeu ^[19]

• Kategoria Superiore: 2017–18
• Albanian Cup: 2017–18
• Albanian Supercup: 2018

Teuta ^[19]

• Kategoria Superiore: 2020–21
• Albanian Supercup: 2020

References

1. "Bylis vs. Besa Kavajë 1 – 1". Soccerway. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
2. "Iliria Fushe-Kruje vs. Besa Kavajë 3 – 1". Soccerway. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
3. "Goditje në "paketë", Apolonia afron 3 lojtarë" [A hit in “package”, Apolonia brings 3 players] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
4. "Apolonia Fier vs. Pogradeci 2 – 3". Soccerway. 12 September 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
5. "Apolonia Fier vs. Elbasani 2 – 1". Soccerway. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
6. Jorgis Memo (9 January 2018). "Daja e donte që te Tirana, ja sa pagoi Skënderbeu për sulmuesin e Apolonisë" [Daja wanted him since when he was at Tirana, see how much Skënderbeu paid for the striker of Apolonia] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
7. "ZYRTARE/ Largohet mes lotësh, talenti i Apolonisë i bashkohet Skënderbeut" [OFFICIAL / He flees between tears, Apollonia's talent joins Skënderbeu] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
8. "Mjafton Abazaj, Luftëtari mposht 2-0 Skënderbeun (VIDEO)" [Abazaj is enough, Luftëtari defeats 2-0 Skënderbeu (Video)] (in Albanian). Sport.albeu.com. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
9. "VIDEO/ Skënderbeu "hakmerret" me poker ndaj Laçit, Soue sërish dopietë" [Video/ Skënderbeu gets “revenge” with a poker versus Laçi, Sowe again a brace] (in Albanian). Gazeta Panorama. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
10. "ZYRTARE/ Skënderbeu shpallet kampion i Kategorisë Superiore për sezonin 2017-2018" [OFFICIAL/ Skënderbeu named champion of Albanian Superliga for 2017-18 season] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
11. "Skënderbeu triumfon në Kupë, vendos një 11-metërsh i dyshimtë" [Skënderbeu triumphs in cup, a suspicious penalty decides] (in Albanian). Top-Channel.tv. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
12. "VIDEO/ Një penallti e dyshimtë i jep Kupën Skënderbeut, korçarët realizojnë dopietën e sezonit" [Video/ A suspicious penalty gives the cup to Skënderbeu, they achieve the season's double] (in Albanian). Gazeta Panorama. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
13. "Ndryshimet te Skënderbeu, ja cili do të jetë sulmi i ri i korçarëve" [Changes at Skënderbeu, here's the new attack of Korça] (in Albanian). Gazeta Panorama. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
14. Erjon Halili (12 August 2018). "Skënderbeu "tregon dhëmbët" çon Superkupën në Korçë" [Skënderbeu "shows the teeths" sends the Supercup at Korçë] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
15. Vladimir Prenga (13 August 2018). "Krasniqi-Xhixha, sulmuesit "bio" të Superiores" [Krasniqi-Xhixha, “bio” strikers of Albanian Superliga] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
16. "VIDEO / Skënderbeu shfryn Flamurtarin, kampionët marrin të vetëm kryesimin" [Video / Skënderbeu vents Flamurtari, the champions takes the lead alone] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
17. Mihaitazarica (1 September 2022). "A FOST TRANSFERAT ALBANEZUL BLERIM KRASNIQI" (in Romanian). Mioveni. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
18. "Grumbullohet Kombëtarja U-21, Alban Bushi bën publike listën" [U-21 national team gathered, Alban Bushi makes the list public] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
19. Blerim Krasniqi at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 November 2017.

External links

• Blerim Krasniqi at WorldFootball.net