Lorenc Leskaj (born 2 October 1968) is an Albanian retired footballer who played as a defender for Partizani Tirana.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 2 October 1968 | ||
Place of birth | Tirana, Albania | ||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1986–1991 | Partizani Tirana | ||
International career | |||
1990 | Albania | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Club career
editLeskaj played for Partizani Tirana in an infamous September 1987 European Cup first leg in Lisbon against Benfica that saw Partizani lose 4–0 and end the game with 7 men as 4 players were sent off and with Leskaj himself getting a yellow card.[1][2] Partizani were punished by UEFA for the incidents, and they were knocked out of the competition following a walkover victory for Benfica in what would have been the second leg, and they were also banned from Europe for 4 years.
International career
editHe made his debut for Albania in a September 1990 friendly match against Greece and earned a total of 2 caps, scoring no goals.[3]
His second and final international was a November 1990 European Championship qualification match against France.[4]
Defection
editLeskaj, alongside national team members Genc Ibro and Eduard Kaçaçi, disappeared from the national team squad in March 1991 in Geneva on their way to Paris to play a European Championship qualifier against France.[5] At the time, Albania was still ruled by the communists. The players were later reported to have sought asylum in Switzerland.[6]
Honours
editReferences
edit- ^ Albanski klub jedini uspeo da zaradi 4 crvena kartona za poluvreme: Najprljaviji mečevi u istoriji Kupa i Lige šampiona (VIDEO) - Telegraf (in Albanian)
- ^ uefa.com. "UEFA Champions League 1987/88 - History - Benfica-Partizani Lineups – UEFA.com".
- ^ "Player Database".
- ^ Report - UEFA
- ^ SE PERDIERON 3 JUGADORES - El Tiempo (in Spanish)
- ^ Kuzhe therret 23lojtare kunder Frances - Info Arkiva (in Albanian)
- ^ Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
External links
edit- Lorenc Leskaj at National-Football-Teams.com