TIRANA, May 21 /ATA/ – Albania’s Italian coach Christian Panucci named a 24-man squad on Monday as the national side readies to take on Kosovo and Ukraine in the next couple of weeks in two key tests ahead of the Nations League campaign.
Albania’s Red&Black team will be training in Zurich, Switzerland, and will initially take on Kosovo on May 29 and Ukraine on June 3.
Albania’s second friendly will be against Ukraine, a much tougher national side whom Albania have only managed to get a draw and lost four times in World Cup qualifiers and friendlies in the past two decades.
The 24-year-old striker of Kukes football club Sindrit Guri, who will be playing for Belgian top league club Oostende next season, and defender Egzon Binaku, who plays for Sweden’s Malmo, join the national side for the first time.
Armando Vajushi and Emanuele Ndoji will also return to the national team, whereas striker Armando Sadiku and midfielder Ledian Memushaj have been left out.
Albania has been drawn against Scotland and Israel in the Nations League Group 1 of League C, the only group featuring three teams, with the remaining three others showcasing four teams.
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