The stadium is an ultra-modern arena in the center of the capital: the Kombetare Arena, the home of Albania led by Edy Reja, a Friulian from Lucinico. Literally the National Arena, which – you can some money – sold itself to a sponsor, as happens more and more often in today’s football. Never mind, the geographical indication of origin has been safeguarded by Air Albania Stadium, a “spaceship” made up of 21,690 red seats and dominated by a tower that dominates it and reflects the sun’s rays with its mirrored windows.
DOUBLE APPOINTMENT
Robero Mancini’s national team will arrive there tonight (no finishing on site, only a press conference at 7.15 pm) to prepare the first of the two friendlies that will close the calendar year, tomorrow against Albania, the other is scheduled for Sunday, always at 8.45 pm, in Vienna with Austria. A sad double date, thinking about what is happening in other parts of the planet, with the best 32 national teams in excitement for the start of the World Cup in Qatar. Among these there is no Italy, despite the European title on the chest, a sort of record of burning eliminations. A story made of useless draws, missed penalties, a pinch of presumption and a lot of fear during the play-offs (cannati). All stuff to put aside in your luggage.
So today in the Albanian capital an Italy with a young passport will land coming from Coverciano, via Firenze (departure at 17.30 after a morning training on the fields of the Federal Technical Center), albeit not without nuances of experience, given the presence of Bonucci, Acerbi and Verratti, while yesterday the forfeit of Toloi and Emerson Palmieri was formalized to include two other youngsters such as Parisi and Pinamonti who are added to the various Scalvini, Miretti, Fagioli and the “worder kid” of Udinese, Simone Pafundi, 16 years old and just 22 minutes of Serie A on his shoulders.
EX UDINESE
Mancini’s is a laboratory, of course: he has to build the national team of the future and the identity card counts. On the document there is also the place of birth: well, if Pafundi was born in Monfalcone, we must not forget that there are four other Friulians in blue this time, the three goalkeepers behind Donnarumma, Alex Meret of Napoli, Guglielmo Vicario dell ‘Empoli and Ivan Provedel of Lazio (all former Udinese Primavera) while Bryan Cristante from Casarsa returned home.
EXPIRING
Who knows how many of these will be tested by Reja’s Albania, the first Friulian coach at the helm of a foreign national team that will challenge Italy. Years ago, when Fabio Capello da Pieris was the coach first of England and then of Russia, crossings (even friendly ones) were avoided, with Reja perhaps we arrived at the last moment for a “heart and soul” challenge.
In December, in fact, his contract with the Tirana federation will expire, but he too is already working for the future, as confirmed by last week’s friendlies played without the many players competing in the championships abroad. He who knows that the old lion of Lucinico will not roar again until the next European Championship.