Partizani Tirana

FK Partizani Tirana
Full name Futboll Klub Partizani Tirana
Nickname(s) Demat e Kuq (The Red Bulls)
Founded February 4, 1946
Ground Kamëz Stadium, Kamëz, Albania
(Capacity: 12,500)
Chairman Gjergji Thaka
Coach Perlat Musta
League Albanian Second Division
2010/11 16th (relegated)
Home colours
Away colours

Futboll Klub or Klubi Sportiv Partizani is an Albanian football club, playing in the capital, Tirana, and founded in 1946. Their first participation in the Albanian National Championship was in 1947. For the first time after the season 2010-11 relegated from Albanian First Division to the Albanian Second Division

Contents

History

Under the Communist regime, all the sporting clubs were owned by the Albanian state. Partizani was run by the Ministry of Defense, from its foundation until 1990. Its main rivals were Dinamo run by the Ministry of Interior, and 17 Nëntori (present-day SK Tirana) run by the Tirana City Hall. From its foundation Partizani has won 15 Championships, 10 of which during the years 1947-1964.

After the fall of Communist regime, Partizani became the first club to be privatized in Albania. The experience was not a positive one, however—the club became mired in into economic difficulties and a legal dispute over its ownership. While the two opposing sides were settling their dispute in court, the club ended the 1999-2000 season in 14th place, the lowest position in the league, dropping to the second division for the first time in its history. The court finally ruled in favor of Albert Xhani, who also took over the role of team president, a position he still retains. Partizani subsequently went on to win the Albanian Second Division title and regain its position as a contender for the following National Championship titles. Partizani is the only privately owned team in Albania, which also means that they do not have their own stadium, as all stadiums are owned by the respective City Halls. The other teams are mostly owned by the City Halls, but supported by private donors, who usually carry out the role of president. In 1962-63, the club participated in a European Cup competition for the first time. The most memorable matches in the European scene have been the 1-0 win in Tirana against Torino in the Cup Winners Cup on 18 September 1968, the 1-0 win in Tirana against Celtic in the Champions League on 19 September 1979 and the tough elimination against Feyenoord in 1991 with a 0-0 tie at home and an 1-0 loss away with a goal in the 86th minute. In the 2003-04 season, the club finished fourth in the Albanian Premier League. In the 2004-05 season, it participated in the UEFA Cup, but was eliminated in the second qualifying round by Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin FC 6-1 on aggregate.

Partizani still remains the only Albanian team to ever win an international football competition. They claimed the Balkans Cup in 1970 by overcoming PFC Beroe Stara Zagora of Bulgaria.

The fall

The 2007/08 season was one of the most successful in recent year for Partizani, who narrowly missed the title in the last match of the season, losing to rivals Dinamo Tirana. But the problems had started already as the players weren't paid for months. The following season many players left and in the 2008/09 season Partizani finished 10th in the Albanian Superliga. They lost to a controversial goal in the play-offs against Kastrioti and were relegated for the second time in their history to the Kategoria e parë. The following season the financial problems continued and Partizani narrowly missed promotion. Most of the remaining players left and in the 2010/11 was disastrous as the finances were nonexistent and the team finished at the bottom of the table and were relegated for the first time to the Kategoria e dytë.

Stadium

Partizani, after being relegated to the Albanian First Division, plays at the Selman Stërmasi stadium. Before that, they played at the national stadium Qemal Stafa.

Rivalries

City rivals SK Tirana, along with Dinamo Tirana, are the biggest rivals of Partizani. However the club has even other rivals throughout Albania. Two other fierce rivals of Partizani are Teuta Durrës and Vllaznia Shkoder.

The Tirana Derby

Partizani's biggest rival is SK Tirana and the matches between the two teams are the most intense in the Albanian Superliga. The rivalry started since Partizani was founded in 1946 as the two teams were owned by the Ministry of Defence and the Tirane Municipality, thus the rivalry was bigger.

Honours

Domestic

1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1992–93

2000-01

1948, 1949, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2004

2004

European

1970

KF Partizani in Europe

As of December, 2008.

Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away
1962/63 UEFA European Cup 1R IFK Norrköping 1-1 0-2
1963/64 UEFA European Cup 1R Spartak Plovdiv 1-0 1-3
1964/65 UEFA European Cup 1R 1. FC Köln 0-0 0-2
1968/69 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Torino F.C. 1-0 1-3
1970/71 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup QR Åtvidabergs FF 2-0 1-1
1R Tirol Innsbruck 1-2 2-3
1971/72 UEFA European Cup 1R CSKA Sofia 0-1 0-3
1979/80 UEFA European Cup 1R Celtic 1-0 1-4
1980/81 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Malmö FF 0-0 0-1
1981/82 UEFA European Cup 1R Austria Wien 1-0 1-3
1987/88 UEFA European Cup 1R S.L. Benfica (w/o)1 0-4
1990/91 UEFA Cup 1R Universitatea Craiova 0-1 0-1
1991/92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Feyenoord 0-0 0-1
1993/94 UEFA Champions League QR IA Akranes 0-0 0-3
1995/96 UEFA Cup QR Fenerbahçe 0-4 0-2
2002/03 UEFA Cup QR Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. 1-4 0-1
2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Maccabi Netanya 2-0 1-3
2R FC Dacia Chişinău 0-3 0-2
2004/05 UEFA Cup 1QR Birkirkara F.C. 4-2 1-2
2QR Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin 1-3 0-3
2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Ethnikos Achnas 2-1 2-4
2008/09 UEFA Cup 1QR Široki Brijeg 1-3 0-0

1 Partizani Tirana were banned from the competition by UEFA because they had 4 players sent off in the first leg match.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Benard Nasufi
GK Ervin Nuredini
DF Alert Alçani (captain)
DF Emiljano Bozha
DF Florian Berdaj
DF Rigels Çullhaj
DF Franc Gega
MF Ergin Bleta
MF Eldi Thaka
MF ? Gjeçi
No. Position Player
MF ? Ujka
MF Etien Hametaj
MF Erind Lleshi
MF Arsen Miska
MF ? Sokoli
MF Mario Xhafa
MF Klazer Shkëmbi
FW Gentian Verli
FW Idi Batha
FW Admir Arifaj
FW Gevin Gjoka

Notable former players

Partizani Tirana's champions

(up to 1962/63 season)

Player Titles Seasons
Abdulla Stermasi 1 1947,
Alfred Bonati 2 1948, 1949
Alush Merhori 3 1947, 1948, 1949
Anastas Mitrushi 1 1959,
Aristidh Parapani 3 1948, 1949, 1954
Bajram Kurani 1 1949
Besim Fagu 7 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959
Bimo Fakja 1 1948
Eqrem Dauti 1 1947,
Fadil Vogli 3 1954, 1957, 1958
Fatbardh Deliallisi 6 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Fatmir Frashëri 1 1963
Gani Merja 6 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Hamdi Bakalli 2 1947, 1948
Hamdi Tafmizi 1 1947,
Haxhi Arbana 1 1954
Hivzi Sakiqi 3 1947, 1948, 1949
Iljaz Dingu 3 1959, 1961, 1963
Isuf Pelingu 1 1947,
Jonuz Teli 1 1961,
Kolec Kraja 5 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Kosta Koca 1 1949,
Kristaq Gogoni 1 1963,
Lin Shllaku 1 1963
Loro Boriçi 2 1949, 1954
Luigj Bytyçi 1 1963
Lutfi Hoxha 1 1947,
Medo Cuciqi 1 1947,
Miço Ndini 5 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Miço Papadhopulli 5 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Mikel Janku 1 1963,
Muhamet Dibra 1 1948,
Muharrem Karranxha 1 1957,
Nexhmedin Caushi 3 1957, 1958, 1959
Nikollë Bespalla 2 1958, 1959
Nuri Bylyku 1 1957,
Panajot Pano 2 1961, 1963
Pavllo Bukoviku 3 1959, 1961, 1963
Osman Mema 2 1961, 1963
Osman Pengili 1 1947,
Qamil Alluni 1 1963
Ramadan Njala 1 1947,
Refik Resmja 6 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Rexhep Lacej 3 1948, 1949, 1954
Rexhep Spahiu 1 1954
Robert Jashari 5 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Roza Haxhiu 4 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959
Sami Emiri 1 1949,
Sefedin Braho 1 1959
Simon Deda 5 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961
Sotir Seferaj 2 1959, 1961
Sulejman Maliqati 6 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Sulejman Vathi 1 1947,
Sllave Llambi 2 1948, 1949
Shefki Keci 1 1949,
Shefqet Topi 1 1957,
Tafil Baci 2 1947, 1957
Tomorr Shehu 4 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963
Vasif Bicaku 2 1948, 1949
Vaso Konomi 1 1963
Xhavit Demneri 1 1947,
Xhevdet Shaqiri 2 1948, 1949
Zef Gavoci 1 1947,
Zihni Gjinali 3 1947, 1948, 1949
Zyber Lisi 2 1947, 1948

External links