Gjergji Muzaka

Gjergji Muzaka
Personal information
Full name Gjergji Muzaka
Date of birth (1984-09-26) 26 September 1984
Place of birth Tiranë, Albania
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Tirana
Number 17
Youth career
1999–2000 Partizani Tirana
2000–2001 Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 Partizani Tirana 59 (15)
2004–2005 Iraklis 3 (0)
2005–2008 Partizani Tirana 106 (23)
2008–2010 Tirana 59 (12)
2010–2011 Dinamo Tirana 15 (1)
2011–2012 Skënderbeu Korçë 40 (16)
2012–2013 Flamurtari Vlorë 24 (12)
2013–2014 Skënderbeu Korçë 31 (4)
2014 Flamurtari Vlorë 17 (3)
2015– Tirana 31 (5)
National team‡
2002–2003 Albania U19 3 (1)
2003–2007 Albania U21 9 (2)
2008– Albania 21 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 January 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 January 2016

Gjergji Muzaka (born 26 September 1984 in Tiranë) is an Albanian footballer who plays for Tirana in the Albanian Superliga as a midfielder. He has been a member of the Albanian national team between 2008 and 2012, and has earned 21 senior international caps.

Club career

Early career

Muzaka began his playing career with local side Partizani Tirana when he was just a teenager. He played for the Partizani U17s where he attracted the interest of several foreign clubs with his performances on the right hand side of midfield. One of these foreign clubs was French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who in 2000 offered Muzaka a contract at the club. Muzaka accepted and left Partizani at the age of just 16, joining the PSG youth team. However, after just one year in France, Muzaka moved back to Albania and back to Partizani before the beginning of the 2001–02 season.

Partizani Tirana

After returning to Albania Muzaka was placed into the Partizani first team.

Tirana

The president of Tirana, Refik Halili paid a total of €70,000 to buy the player from their fierce rivals Partizani in the summer of 2008.[1]

Dinamo Tirana

Muzaka signed a three-year contract with the 2009–10 champions Dinamo Tirana on 16 June 2010. The transfer was managed by the FIFA licensed agent Elton Marini, of 'M&M Management Agency'.[2] The contact is worth a total of €210,000, with Muzaka earning €70,000 a season with Dinamo.[3]

Skënderbeu Korçë

In January 2011 Muzaka joined a half-season loan at Skënderbeu Korçë.[4]

Return to Skënderbeu Korçë

In August 2013, Muzaka joined Skënderbeu on a free transfer, returning in Korçë after one season abstence.[5]

Return to Flamurtari

After becoming a free agent following the expiration of his one-year contract with Skënderbeu Korçë, Muzaka re-joined Flamurtari Vlorë, where had played between 2012 and 2013.[6] He officially signed a two-year contract with Flamurtari on 10 June 2014.[6] However, he left the club in January 2015 after a massive exodus, terminating his contract by mutual consent.[7]

Return to Tirana

Muzaka left Flamurtari Vlorë during a mass exodus at the club in January 2015, after terminating his contract through mutual consent. He then returned to KF Tirana, signing a contract until the end of the 2014–15 campaign, reportedly worth €5,500 a month.[8] On 7 January he was officially unveiled as a KF Tirana player to the media, holding a press conference alongside the club's president Refik Halili and newly appointed director Devi Muka.[9]

He made his return debut on 24 January by playing full-90 minutes in the 2–0 home win against Apolonia Fier in the matchday 19.[10] On 8 March 2015, during the league match against the title rivals Kukësi, Muzaka assised the Tomislav Bušić goal in the 72th minute, and scored himself six minutes later to seal the 2–0 win at neutral ground Niko Dovana Stadium.[11]

On 22 April 2015, during the 2014–15 Albanian Cup's semi-final second leg match against Laçi, Muzaka snapped his knee's ligament after a collision with Olsi Teqja and was stretched off the field in the 46th minute.[12][13] He underwent surgery on his knee on 11 May in Rome and was ruled out of action for 6 months.[14][15] He finished second part of 2014–15 season by playing 15 matches between league and club, including 12 in league, scoring once in the process.

On 19 November 2015, Muzaka returned to pitch after about six months as he appeared in the last 15 minutes of the goalless draw against Laçi.[16] He had to wait until 30 January of the following year to made his first start since the injury, as he played 75 minutes and scored a goal in the 1–3 away win at Tërbuni Pukë.[17] He followed up the goal by scoring another one in the 3–0 win at Laçi, helping Tirana to win the first match at Laçi Stadium since 5 May 2012.[18] Muzaka continued with his solid performances as he converted a penalty-kick in Tirana's 2–0 home defeat of Bylis Ballsh, helping Tirana to gain its first win at the newly renovated Selman Stërmasi Stadium.[19] It was his third goal of the season in the last three matches.[20]

On 17 April, during the league match at Bylis Ballsh, Muzaka suffered another injury, an fracture in shoulder which forced him to end of the season with six weeks remaining.[21] He finished the season by making 22 appearances, including 19 in league, and scoring four goals, and Tirana once again remained out of European competitions.

Following his shoulder injury, Muzaka returned in training in September 2016.[22] He made his first appearance of the season in the second leg of Albanian Cup first round against Sopoti Librazhd, playing in the second half as Tirana recorded an empathic 7–0 home win, progressing to the next round with the aggregate 8–1.[23] Later on 12 October, Muzaka made his first league appearance of the season in the matchday 6 against Korabi Peshkopi, scoring a 91st-minute winner with a diving header to give Tirana its second consecutive league win.[24]

International career

He is also playing for the Albania national football team. He scored his first goal against Romania in a Euro 2012 Qualifier, he came on the field in the 81st minute, just one minute after Romania had taken the lead. He made an immediate impact and in the 87th minute he managed to find a head onto Ansi Agolli's free kick which he guided past the Romanian goalkeeper, which levelled the tie at 1–1 and earned Albania a very important and well-deserved point in the opening match of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.[25][26]

Style of play

He is typically an attacking midfielder, who operated primarily on the right side of the midfield, but he can also play through the middle as well as the left occasionally. He is known for his crossing and playmaking abilities but he is also an able goalscorer.

Career statistics

Club

As of 5 April 2016[27][28]
Club Season League Cup Continental[lower-alpha 1] Other[lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partizani Tirana 2001–02 Albanian Superliga 8100——81
2002–03 1840020—204
2003–04 331000——3310
Total 59150020—6115
Iraklis Thessaloniki 2004–05 Superleague Greece 30———30
Total 30———30
Partizani Tirana 2004–05 Albanian Superliga 11200——112
2005–06 34600——346
2006–07 29500——295
2007–08 321000——3210
2008–09 ——21—21
Total 106230021—10824
Tirana 2008–09 Albanian Superliga 29291——383
2009–10 30102010—3310
Total 591211110—7113
Dinamo Tirana 2010–11 Albanian Superliga 151002010181
Total 151002010181
Skënderbeu Korçë 2010–11 Albanian Superliga 16822——1810
2011–12 248002010278
2012–13 ——200020
Total 40162220104518
Flamurtari Vlorë 2012–13 Albanian Superliga 241296——3318
Total 241296——3318
Skënderbeu Korçë 2013–14 Albanian Superliga 314612010405
Total 314612010405
Flamurtari Vlorë 2014–15 Albanian Superliga 1730040103318
Total 1730040103318
Tirana 2014–15 Albanian Superliga 12130——151
2015–16 16430——194
Total 28560——345
Career total 38291341015140435102
  1. ↑ Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UFEA Cup/UEFA Europa League
  2. ↑ Including other competitions, such as Albanian Supercup

International

As of 5 April 2016[29]
Albania national team
YearAppsGoals
200810
200920
201081
2011100
201210
201310
Total132

International goals

Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first.[30]
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 3 September 2010 Stadionul Ceahlăul, Piatra Neamţ, Romania 6  Romania 1–1 1–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying [31]

Honours

Club

Partizani Tirana[27]
Tirana[27]
Skënderbeu Korçë[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Leshon Xhani, Gjergj Muzaka, zyrtarisht i Tiranës" (in Albanian). Arkiva Lajmeve. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka, lojtar i Dinamos" (in Albanian). Futboll Klub Dinamo. 16 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  3. ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka firmos për Dinamon" (in Albanian). Albania-Sport. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "Cikalleshi dhe Muzaka perforcimet e Skënderbeut" (in Albanian). Arkiva Lajmeve. 27 December 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  5. ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka transferohet te Skënderbeu" (in Albanian). ABCNews.al. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Muzaka firmos për 2 vite me Flamurtarin" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Gilman Lika fal 4 rroga, ikin edhe Muzaka e Metaj, shkon në 11 numri i largimeve" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Muzaka: U riktheva në shtëpi, dua titullin" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Muzaka prezantohet te Tirana: Kthehem në shtëpi, jam borxhli ndaj bardhebluve" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Tirana vs. Apolonia Fier 2 – 0". Soccerway. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Tirana – Kukesi 2-0 FT" (in Albanian). KF Tirana. 8 March 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  12. ↑ "Muzaka mbyll para kohe sezonin, operacion për gjurin" (in Albanian). KF Tirana. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  13. ↑ Gerti Carcani (23 April 2015). "Muzaka, probleme serioze me gjurin" (in Albanian). Ora Sport. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Andi Deçka (11 May 2015). "Gjergji Muzaka operohet me sukses" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  15. ↑ Alfred Lleshi (6 June 2015). "Gjergji Muzaka, riaftësimi vazhdon në Greqi (video)" (in Albanian). Telesport.al. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka, nga Laçi tek Laçi" (in Albanian). Minuta90.al. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Tërbuni Pukë vs. Tirana 1 – 3". Soccerway. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "VIDEO/ Shpërfytyrohet Laçi, Tirana i jep leksion" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Plotësojnë kartonët, Bakaj dhe Karan humbasin Bylisin" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "3 rrjeta e 2 asiste/ Abonim me golin, Muzaka: Radhën e ka Flamurtari" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "Tirana kundër arbitrit. Muzaka i dëmtuar" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  22. ↑ Eduard Ilnica (25 September 2016). "Muzaka, në stërvitje me Tiranën pas 5 muajsh" (in Albanian). Telesport.al. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  23. ↑ Adela Merko (6 October 2016). "Ilir Daja fërkon duart: Peci, 'bast' i fituar" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  24. ↑ Sotir Kora (12 October 2016). "Muzaka bën "heroin", Tirana mposht Korabin" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  25. ↑ ""Dakët" thyejnë brirët në "bunkerin" e Kuzhes" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  26. ↑ "Romania 1-1 Albania". Football Database. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Albania - G. Muzaka - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  28. ↑ "Football : Gjergji Muzaka". Football Database. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  29. ↑ "Gjergj Muzaka - national football team player". EU-Football.info. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  30. ↑ "Gjergj Muzaka - national football team player". EU-Football.info. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "Romania vs. Albania 1 – 1". Soccerway. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2016.

External links

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