Kristjan Asllani and Nedim Bajrami were today in a press conference at the “House of Football, where they talked about the teams’ preparations for the two first matches in the World Cup qualifiers, against England and Andorra.
Asllani said that the atmosphere in the team is very good, and that all the players are focused, while emphasizing that Albania will give its maximum against England for a positive result.
In the end, he called on the fans to support the team and fill the stands of the stadium at the National Arena for the match against Andorra.
With Inter in the Club World Cup in America, how sure are you that you will go to the real World Cup next year with the National Team? – We are here for the National Team, we know we have a tough group. Right now, we are training and getting ready for the first match.
With Inter you have played two times against English clubs. What is the secret to stop them? – They are a very strong team, both physical and highly technical. We know their players very well. I believe we shouldn’t overthink it but play with heart and soul. We must not go there as tourists because every time we step on the field, we play to win. We know it will be difficult, but we will keep working over the next 2-3 days and go there with great determination.
How does Inzaghi differ from Sylvinho? – They are both very strong coaches who know how to manage the group well. There aren’t many differences, and I’m happy to have worked with both.
What do we expect from Asllani? – I don’t know what you expect from Asllani. I think for the team, I am not here to play only for myself. We are one group, one team. In the National Team we should all play together. We have a tough match ahead. We’ve been working these days, we arrived yesterday. We still have two more days to prepare, and our focus is on the match against England.
England’s midfield? – England’s midfield is very strong. Their entire team is very strong. It will be a tough match. We will play as a team, with heart and soul, just as we always have.
Satisfied with a draw? – The match starts at 0-0. You never know, we will work hard. If we get a point, it will be very good. But when we step on the field, we play only to win.
Have you prepared a plan to stop England? – I wasn’t with the National Team in the match against England four years ago. We will step onto the field and fight from the first minute. We know they will attack us because they have very fast players. We will play as we did in the matches before the Euros.
The atmosphere in the squad? – The team has great harmony, and everyone is focused. Everyone wants to reach the World Cup, but it will be difficult.
A message to the fans? – We are expecting the fans, we need them. I thank those who supported us at the Euros, everyone has talked about that. I hope they will support us in the match against Andorra as well because we need them.
Nedim Bajrami said that England is a very high-quality opponent but emphasized that the team is focused and preparing well for this challenge. He added that he is ready and will give his maximum in any position the coach assigns him.
Are you ready for the duel against England? – I started the first 6 months well at Rangers, but lately, I haven’t had many minutes. However, this is part of football. I’m always ready, and I haven’t missed any training sessions.
Where does Bajrami feel most comfortable, and where does he have more opportunities to play? – Traffic in football is normal. The competition is high, so every player gives their best in training, and the coach will decide. I feel good on the wing and in midfield. I’m ready for wherever Silvinho places me to give my best in the match.
Four years ago, you played against England, what will be different this time? – Yes, that match we played against England is behind us. Now it’s a new challenge. We need to prepare for the match very well because we know what kind of opponent they are. We know their quality. All the guys are ready, and Silvinho will prepare the match very well.
You eliminated Mourinho in the Europa League, did that motivate you? – I believe so, because it was a huge win to eliminate Mourinho and Fenerbahçe. It gave me confidence, and that’s why I’m here with the National Team. I’m ready to help the team on and off the field wherever needed.
How ready is Albania to face England? – The Scottish league is very physical. England plays very hard, but all the boys are ready. With Broja’s return, we are more ready than ever.
UEFA has reposted your goal scored against Italy in Euro 2024, do you think you could set another record against England? – A record is a record. Let’s see what we can do against England. It will be a different match. I will give my maximum. All the guys are ready for the game against them.
From the Nations League to the World Cup qualifiers, what has changed? – Every competition is different. Now we’re playing for the World Cup qualifiers. The entire focus is here. We need to learn from what we did well and what we did wrong in order to move forward.
