The Albanian Football Federation has intensified its interest in two young footballers who are standing out in Swiss football, Lutfi Dalipi of Vaduz and Samuel Krasniqi of Grasshoppers.
The President of the Albanian Football Association, Armand Duka, along with the national team coach, Ronaldo Maran, were present at the stadium to closely follow the two players in the match between Grasshoppers and Vaduz, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Both players put in solid performances, attracting the attention of the Albanian delegation.
The presence of the AFF representatives has also set the Swiss media in motion. The newspaper "Blick" has paid attention to Albania's interest, raising concerns that the Swiss Federation must react to avoid risking the loss of two players who have recently been part of the Switzerland U21. According to the Swiss media, the Albanian delegation was in the stands precisely to observe Dalipi and Krasniqi.
Albania's interest has also surprised Vaduz coach Marc Schneider, who has urged the player not to be put under pressure. "The problem is that nobody knew Lutfi in the summer and now there is a lot of noise. It's not easy for him, you can see. We have to protect him," he said.
Grasshoppers coach Olaf Janssen is also in the same line about the need to protect players from pressure. He stated that he is trying to ease the situation for Krasniqi, while expressing his belief that the footballer will not change his stance. "Every footballer dreams of the national team from a young age. Let's see if the players' behavior will change or remain the same. I am trying to take the pressure off him. He needs my support and the team's," Janssen declared.
In addition to Switzerland and Albania, both footballers are also eligible to represent Kosovo. However, so far neither Dalipi nor Krasniqi have made a final decision on which national team they will play for in the future.
