Erando Karabeci

Erando Karabeci

Karabeci with Albania U21
Personal information
Full name	Erando Karabeci
Date of birth	6 September 1988
Place of birth	Tiranë, Albania
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Centre midfielder
Club information
Current team	Tirana
Number	13
Youth career
2000–2006	Partizani Tirana
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2009	Partizani Tirana	31	(1)
2009–	Tirana	187	(2)
National team^‡
2007–2008	Albania U19	3	(0)
2008–2011	Albania U21	7	(2)
2014–	Albania	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 July 2015. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 July 2015

Erando Karabeci (born 6 September 1988 in Tirana) is an Albanian professional footballer who currently plays for Albanian Superliga club Tirana as well as the Albanian national team. He mainly operates in the centre of midfield, but he can also play out wide as well as in a more defensive role in the midfield.

Club career

Early career

Born in Tiranë, Albania, Karabeci first joined local side Partizani Tirana at the age of 11 in 2000, where he progressed to the under-17s and then the under-19s, where he won the national championship with both age groups. He was promoted to the senior side during the 2006-07 season, where he made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in a home tie against Shkumbini Peqin on 23 December 2006. Karabeci came off the bench in the 89th minute for Gerhard Progni in the 2–0 win. He made another two league appearance that season in home wins over Kastrioti Krujë and Shkumbini Peqin once again.^[1] The following season he still didn't break into the first team and only managed 3 league appearances throughout the 2007–08 campaign, including coming off the bench in the closing stages of a memorable Tirana Derby which ended in a 4–1 win for Partizani.^[2]

His breakthrough season came in 2008, when Shpëtim Duro took charge of Partizani, and Karabeci became one of the club's regular midfielders alongside Artan Karapici, Dritan Babamusta and Viktor Gjyla. He scored his first professional goal in the Tirana Derby against KF Tirana on 7 December 2008 in a 2–2 draw.^[3] Partizani struggled throughout the season, which ended in them finishing third from bottom and having to play Kastrioti Krujë in a play-out game for a spot in the following season's Albanian Superliga. The play-out game with Kastrioti ended was surrounded by controversy and notoriety, as Partizani lost 1–0 and the club's president Albert Xhani attacked the referee Arjan Mali for disallowing a Partizani equaliser.^[4] Following the game Partizani were relegated to the Albanian First Division and Karabeci was allowed to terminate his contract and leave the club.

KF Tirana

Karabeci playing for Tirana in 2010

On 28 August 2009 Karabeci signed for Albanian Champions KF Tirana. He joined up with the team ahead of the international break which he spent with the Albanian U21 side. On 13 September 2009, he made his first appearance with Tirana during the 0–1 away win against Gramozi Ersekë, entering in the field in the 70th minute in place of Enco Malindi.^[5] In the next league match against Besa Kavajë on 19 September, Karabeci was able to make his full debut by playing full-90 minutes in a goalless draw at Qemal Stafa Stadium.^[6]

He signed short term loan deal with FK Kukësi in July 2013 for their Europa League qualifying campaign, as a replacement for the suspended Besar Musolli.^[7]

On 18 December 2013, Karabeci scored his first goal with Tirana since his return from Kukësi during the 1–1 draw against Lushnja.^[8] On 7 February of the following year, he played full-90 minutes during the 1–0 triumph of Tirana against cross-town rivals of Partizani Tirana.^[9] He later scored his first league goal of the season in the 1–1 away draw against Teuta Durrës at Niko Dovana Stadium on 13 March.^[10] Tirana assured mathematically survival on 3 May 2014 in the penultimate week of the league after a 2–2 away draw against Flamurtari, in a match where Muça played 90 minutes.^[11][12] He ended his 5th season with Tirana by playing 32 matches, 28 of them in league and 4 in cup.

Following the return of club legend Ervin Bulku in the summer of 2014, Karabeci handed his captaincy to Bulku as a sign of respect of the Albanian international, and became the vice-captain instead.^[13]

During the January 2015, Karabeci was named Albanian Superliga Player of the Month by the association "Sporti na bashkon".^[14] He scored his first goal of 2014–15 season against Apolonia Fier during the 2–2 draw at the neutral ground of Kastrioti Stadium, valid for the first leg of the quarter-final of Albanian Cup.^[15][16]

He ended the season with 37 appearances in all competitions, including 32 in league, with Tirana who finished it in the fourth place and was eliminated in semi-finals of 2014–15 Albanian Cup against KF Laçi with the 1–0 aggregate.^[17]

He started the 2015–16 season by playing full-90 minutes in a 1–2 away win against the newcomers of Tërbuni Pukë on 23 August.^[18] In the next league match against KF Laçi at the neutral ground of Kastrioti Stadium, Karabeci scored a last-minute equaliser with a powerful shot that went in the triangle of the goal of Gentian Selmani.^[19] On 21 September 2015, Karabeci made his 200th official appearance for Tirana during the 2–1 away league lose against Skënderbeu Korçë, assisting the goal of Masato Fukui in the 3rd minute.^[20]

International career

He was picked for the Albania U-21 by the coach Artan Bushati to help the team for the UEFA U-21 Championship qualifier and is still considered a very important part of the team. He even managed to score the winning goal in Albania U-21's Qualifying game with Azerbaijan U-21 shortly after signing for his current club, KF Tirana.

He received his first call up to the senior Albania squad for the friendly against Italy in November 2014.^[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of 25 December 2015^{[22][23][24][25]}

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Other[nb 1]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Partizani Tirana	2006–07	3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
	2007–08	3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
	2008–09	25	1	5	1	0	0	—		30	2
	Total	31	1	5	1	0	0	0	0	36	2
FK Kukësi[nb 2]	2013–14	—		—		6	0	—		6	0
	Total	0	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	6	0
Tirana	2009–10	18	0	1	0	0	0	—		19	0
	2010–11	30	0	7	0	4	1	0	0	41	1
	2011–12	23	0	6	0	2	0	1	0	32	0
	2012–13	19	0	4	0	3	0	—		26	0
	2013–14	28	1	4	1	—		—		32	2
	2014–15	32	0	5	1	—		—		37	1
	2015–16	17	1	3	0	—		—		20	1
	Total	167	2	38	2	9	1	1	0	215	5
Total career		198	3	43	3	15	1	1	0	257	7

Honours

Club

KF Tirana

• Albanian Cup (2): 2010–11,^[26] 2011–12
• Albanian Supercup (2): 2011,^[27] 2012

Individual

• Albanian Superliga Player of the Month (1): January 2015^[14]

Notes

1. Including other competitions, such Albanian Supercup
2. Only for the Europa League matches

References

1. Hammond, Mike (ed.) (2007). The European Football Yearbook 2007/08. London: M Press Media. p. 288. ISBN 978-0-9555917-2-3.
2. KF Tirana 1-4 Partizani
3. Partizani 2-2 KF Tirana
4. Partizani-Kastrioti 0-1, Xhani sulmon arbitrin
5. "Gramozi Ersekë vs. Tirana 0 - 1". Soccerway.com. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
6. "Tirana vs. Besa Kavajë 0 - 0". Soccerway.com. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
7. "Karabeci te Kukësi, huazim për Europën. Mesfushori do të zëvendësojë Musollin" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
8. "Tirana vs. Lushnja 1 - 1". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
9. "Erando Karabeci:Ishim dominues". Albaniasoccer.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
10. "Teuta e Tirona mjaftohen me barazim". Super Sport (in Albanian). 13 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
11. Kora, Sotir (4 May 2014). "Tirona siguron mbijetesën". Super Sport. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
12. Sika, Ermal (4 May 2014). "Barazim në Vlorë, mbijeton Tirana. Magani: Tani që ia dolëm, jam i gatshëm që të rinovoj". Panorama Sport. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
13. "Tirana ndryshon kapiten. Karabeci ia dorëzon shiritin Bulkut në shenjë respekti". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). Retrieved 4 August 2014.
14. Mesfushori i Tiranes Erando Karabeci eshte perzgjedhur lojtari i muajit janar nga shoqata "Sporti na bashkon". KF Tirana, 18 February 2015 (Albanian)
15. "Uzuni "show", Tiranës i bëhet Kupa "malore"". Sport Ekspres (in Albanian). 4 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
16. "Apolonia surprizon Tiranën, barazim 2-2 në sfidën e parë". Gazeta e Sportit (in Albanian). 4 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
17. "Laçi mposht Tiranën dhe shkon në finalen e Kupës së Shqipërisë". Gazeta Dita (in Albanian). 22 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
18. "Tirana përmbys Tërbunin". Sport.albeu.com (in Albanian). 23 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
19. "Perla e Karabecit i jep një pikë Tiranës, ndaj Laçit mbyllet 1-1". Sport.albeu.com (in Albanian). 29 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
20. "Spektakël në Korçë. Skënderbeu mposht Tiranën". InfoAlbania.al (in Albanian). 21 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
21. "Italy 1-0 Albania: Stefano Okaka scores on international debut to save Antonio Conte's side's blushes with late winner". dailymail.co.uk. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
22. "Albania - E. Karabeci - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
23. "Football : Erando Karabeci". Football DataBase. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
24. "Profile of Erando Karabeci at footballzz.co.uk". footballzz.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
25. "Profile of Erando Karabeci at Scoresway.com". Scoresway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
26. "Tirana shade Dinamo in Albanian Cup final". UEFA.com. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
27. "Tirana fiton Superkupen e Shqiperise me rezultat 1 – 0 kunder Skenderbeu". Sdsnews.wordpress.com. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2014.

External links

• Profile at UEFA.com
• Profile at World Football