Gianni de Biasi has been granted Albanian citizenship after having led the country’s national team for the past three years.
Former Torino and Udinese coach De Biasi is married to an Albanian woman and has been in charge of the Albania national team since December 2011 when he took over from Josip Kuze.
De Biasi started the Euro 2016 group qualifiers with a 1-0 win over favourites Portugal. That victory was described as historic by the Albanian media.
Confident Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey believes Wales can pull off a summer surprise against Belgium and take a huge stride towards reaching the Euro 2016 finals in France.
Wales coasted to a 3-0 victory over Israel in Haifa on Saturday to top Group B with their next game at home to group favourites Belgium on June 12. Belgium are ranked fourth in the world and made their own statement of intent when they thrashed Cyprus 5-0 in Brussels.
“We’ll be looking forward to Belgium,” Ramsey said.
“It’s a tough game but we are full of confidence at the moment.”
Arsenal midfielder Ramsey said his goal celebration against Israel when he pointed to the heavens was in honour of his grandmother who died last week.
No Xavi deal yet
Barcelona midfielder Xavi appears to be nearing towards a move to Qatari club Al Sadd, who on Saturday revealed the player was taking a tour of their facilities.
However, Al Sadd insisted there was no agreement as yet to sign the playmaker, who joined Bar-celona back in 1991 aged 11.
“Al Sadd confirms the latest news about the club’s interest in signing Xavi Hernandez but the transfer is still under negotiation,” the statement read.
“On the matter, the Barcelona player is currently in Doha with his family to know more about the country he would live in if he were to decide to join the club.”
Flare-throwing fan turns himself in
A 25-year-old Montenegro fan suspected of hitting Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev on the head with a flare during Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier has turned himself in.
“The fan, whose initials are L.L., turned himself in accompanied by his lawyer,” the Monte-negro interior ministry said.
The match was abandoned midway through the second half after a second outburst of violence, when a still unidentified fan hit Russia midfielder Dmitri Kombarov with a missile from the terraces following a scuffle among the players.
UEFA yesterday said it would wait to receive reports from the match delegate and referee before opening disciplinary proceedings.
Experimental Argentina win 2-0
An experimental Argentina side led by Angel Di Maria while injured Lionel Messi remained on the bench beat El Salvador 2-0 in a Copa America warm-up friendly in the US.
Midfielder Ever Banega breached the packed Salva-dorean defence in the 54th minute of a one-sided match when his shot from outside the box took a deflection off a defender and looped over goalkeeper Derby Carrillo.
Federico Mancuello, making his Argentina debut, curled a free-kick into the top far corner with two minutes remaining to secure the win at a freezing FedEx Field stadium.
Martino said Messi is hoping to be fit for Argentina’s next match against Ecuador, in New Jersey, tomorrow.
Rooney needs honours – Hodgson
Wayne Rooney might break Bobby Charlton’s 45-year-old England scoring record of 49 goals this season but he must be successful at a major championship to be regarded as one of the country’s greats said coach Roy Hodgson.
Rooney has scored 47 goals in 102 appearances but Hodgson says his skipper must do more than break records to rival Charlton’s legacy as one of England’s all-time greats.
“To do it, a player would have to be very successful at a World Cup as Bobby Charlton was,” Hodgson said.
“Charlton, for me, is up there on a pedestal and it will take time for any of the modern-day players to get up to that level.”
Kaka inspires Orlando comeback
Brazil’s Kaka inspired Orlando City to fight back from a two-goal deficit and earn a 2-2 draw at Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer on Saturday.
The former Milan and Real Madrid midfielder set up one goal and then scored the equaliser as the MLS newcomers picked up a deserved point.
Orlando were missing seven players away on international duty and coach Adrian Heath was forced to shuffle his side for the game at the Olympic Stadium.
“I honestly thought we were going to score again all evening, and I’m really delighted with the players’ attitude,” said Heath.
“It’s been a difficult week with so many of the guys missing.”