FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Albania is entering the crucial weeks of the qualifiers, where the Rossoneri will play the last two group matches that will determine their fate on the path to the "World Cup".
Initially, on November 13, coach Sylvinho's team will face Andorra on the road, while three days later, on November 16, the most anticipated challenge will take place against England at the "Air Albania" stadium.
The interest of the fans in this match has been extremely high. Over 100 thousand fans have applied for tickets, according to the official announcement of the Albanian Football Association, while each fan had the right to apply for up to four tickets.
Due to the high demand, the Federation decided to distribute the prizes through an electronic lottery, which determined the potential winners. This method of distribution, however, has caused much dissatisfaction and controversy in the sports community.
Black Market— As in the last matches of the National Team, this time too the black market for tickets is flourishing at a frightening pace. Many people have applied for tickets not to be part of the stands, but to resell them at high prices. Dozens of posts have appeared on social networks offering tickets for the match against England, even from travel agencies that benefit from the high demand. Ticket prices from the FSHF were salty from the start, but on the black market they are being sold at three or four times the official price. A ticket that officially costs 2500 lek is being offered online for up to 10,000 lek.
This phenomenon has deprived many fans of the National Team who have followed them in every stadium, both at home and abroad, of the opportunity to be with the team in one of the most important matches of recent years. Fans from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and the Albanian diaspora in Europe express their dissatisfaction every day on social networks, accusing the Albanian Football Association of a lack of transparency and mismanagement of the distribution process.
Ultras - Another issue that has sparked debate is the broken relationship between the Albanian Football Association and official fan groups, such as Tifozat Kuqezi, Illyrian Elite, Ballistët, or Plisat. These groups have been the mainstay of the atmosphere in every match of the National Team, following Albania in every corner of Europe, even in the darkest periods of our football. However, for some time now, their absence has been noticeable on the steps of “Air Albania”. The rift began in the match against Serbia, when the fan groups were left without dedicated tickets, causing clashes and boycotts.
The Albanian Football Association (AFH) chose not to create special sections for ultras, which was considered a violation of tradition and a lack of respect for the most loyal fans. As a result, fan groups have decided to boycott the National Team's matches in protest. The same situation is expected to be repeated in the match against England, where the stands will be mainly occupied by random spectators, lottery winners or public figures, while the ultras will remain outside the stadium.
Scenario - On the sporting side, the match against England is expected to have a major impact on Albania's performance in the group. Sylvinho's Red and Blacks have had a good campaign and are in a position that could secure second place, which leads to the "Play Off" for the World Cup. The most favorable scenario for Albania would be for England to defeat Serbia in London, while Albania to win in the away match against Andorra. Such a combination would mathematically ensure the qualification of the Red and Blacks, turning the November 16 challenge into a national celebration.
Lini një Përgjigje