Valdan Nimani (born 5 March 1987) is an Albanian football player who plays as a forward.[1][2]

Valdan Nimani
Personal information
Full name Valdan Nimani
Date of birth (1987-03-05) 5 March 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Shkodër, Albania
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Veleçiku Koplik
Number 14
Youth career
0 0 0 0–2007 Vllaznia Shkodër
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Laçi 46 (8)
2010–2011 Vllaznia 26 (0)
2012–2016 Laçi 104 (15)
2016–2017 Kamza 14 (1)
2017–2019 Tërbuni Pukë 22 (2)
2019 Veleçiku Koplik 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:30, 2 May 2019 (UTC)

Club career

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Early career

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Nimani started his professional career with Laçi in the 2008–09 season, where he aided the club to return in Albanian Superliga with 5 goals in 17 appearances. Nimani made his Albanian Superliga debut in the opening match against Skënderbeu Korçë on 23 August 2009, where he scored the first goal of the match in a 4–3 losing effort.[3]

Vllaznia Shkodër

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On 25 July 2010, Nimani agreed personal terms and signed a contract with his boyhood club Vllaznia Shkodër.[4] He made his Vllaznia Shkodër on 22 August in the opening league match of 2010–11 season against Bylis Ballsh at home, he played full-90 minutes in a 3–2 win.[5]

In the last days of 2011, Nimani was released from the club along with two other players.[6]

Laçi

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On 9 January 2012, Nimani officially returned to Laçi after one-and-a-half season with Vllaznia Shkodër, taking the squad number 19 for the second part of 2011–12 season.[7]

2012–13 season

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Nimani started his fifth season with the club on 25 August 2012 in the 1–1 home draw against Besa Kavajë, where he played in the entire match.[8] He scored his first goal of the season on 26 September in the first leg of 2012–13 Albanian Cup first round against Adriatiku Mamurras, netting the third and final goal of the 3–0 away win.[9]

2013–14 season

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Nimani played his first match of the season on 1 September 2013 against Tirana at Qemal Stafa Stadium in team's first league match of the season, playing in the entire match that finished in a goalless draw.[10]

On 15 March 2014, during the match against Bylis Ballsh which ended in a goalless draw but was awarded to Laçi with a 3–0 win, Nimani suffered a flaw rib which kept him out for two weeks.[11]

2014–15 season

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Nimani started the new season on 3 July 2014 in the first leg of the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round against the Slovenian side Rudar Velenje, where he played full-90 minutes in a 1–1 away draw.[12][13] The returning leg ended in the same results, but Laçi managed to qualify thanks to penalty shootouts; Nimani played for 82 minutes.[14][15] In the next qualifying round, Laçi faced Zorya Luhansk who defeated Nimani's side 3–0 in the first leg at Laçi Stadium. In the second leg, Laçi was defeated again but this time 2–1, with Nimani scoring his side only goal, becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer in European competitions.[16]

Nimani started the domestic season by playing full-90 minutes in team's opening Albanian Superliga match against Partizani Tirana, which finished in a 1–1 draw.[17]

2015–16 season

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As 2014–15 Albanian Cup winners, Laçi gained the right to enter the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round where Nimani's side was going to face Inter Baku.[18] In the first leg at home on 2 July, Nimani played only 34 minutes as a substitute with Laçi who didn't earn more than a 1–1 draw.[19] In the second match, Nimani played as a starter for 82 minutes, failing to find the net with the match finishing in a goalless draw, which resulted fatal for the team who was eliminated thanks to away goal rule.[20]

On 27 February of the following year, in the final moments of the goalless draw away against Vllaznia Shkodër,[21] Nimani was involved in an incident with Vllaznia Shkodër's Erdenis Gurishta, hitting him in the head with his right boot, leaving the defender in the ground unconscious. Gurishta was immediately transported in the nearest hospital in Shkodër, and after hours of fear and anxiety, Gurishta's condition was finally stabilized.[22][23]

Career statistics

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As of 15 April 2016[24][25]
Club Season League Cup Continental[a] Other[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Laçi 2008–09 Albanian First Division 17 5 1 1 18 6
2009–10 Albanian Superliga 29 3 1 0 30 3
2010–11 2 1 2 1
Total 46 8 2 1 2 1 50 10
Vllaznia Shkodër 2010–11 Albanian Superliga 20 0 2 0 22 0
2011–12 6 0 4 0 2 0 12 0
Total 26 0 6 0 2 0 34 0
Laçi 2011–12 Albanian Superliga 6 1 6 0 12 1
2012–13 21 5 13 5 34 10
2013–14 24 3 2 1 2 1 1 0 29 5
2014–15 31 2 5 1 4 1 40 4
2015–16 22 4 6 2 2 0 1 0 31 6
Total 104 15 32 9 8 2 2 0 143 26
Career total 176 23 40 10 12 3 2 0 227 36
  1. ^ Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Including other competitions, such as Albanian Supercup

Honours

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Laçi[24]

References

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  1. ^ Profile at WorldFootball, worldfootball.net
  2. ^ "Valdan Nimani" (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Skënderbeu Korçë vs. Laçi 4 – 3". Soccerway. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. ^ Kel Naraçi (25 July 2010). "Lëvizjet/Valdano Nimani zyrtarisht lojtar i Vllaznisë" (in Albanian). Albania Soccer. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. ^ "Vllaznia Shkodër vs. Bylis Ballsh 3 – 2". Soccerway. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Gati largimet nga Vllaznia, nga Petroviç te Nimani" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Valdano Nimani rikthehet te Laçi" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Laçi vs. Besa Kavajë 1 – 1". Soccerway. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Mamurrasi vs. Laçi 0 – 3". Soccerway. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  10. ^ Adela Merko (2 September 2013). "Barazim ndaj Laçit, Tirana s'bind në start. Dede ka rezerva: Prisja më shumë nga ekipi" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  11. ^ Vladimir Prenga (21 March 2014). "Nimani dëmtohet rëndë, Buljan karikon bardhezinjtë" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  12. ^ "Rudar vs. Laçi 1 – 1". Soccerway. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Laçi befason sllovenët" (in Albanian). Borozani.com. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Laçi vs. Rudar 1 – 1". Soccerway. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Kalojnë Flamurtari e Laçi, eleminohet Kukësi" (in Albanian). Vizion Plus. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Zorya vs. Laçi 2 – 1". Soccerway. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  17. ^ Vladimir Prenga (25 August 2014). ""Luftë" për një pikë, Partizani barazon në Laç. Trajneri Duro: Raçiç, "bast" im i fituar" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  18. ^ "Laçi kundër Inter Bakusë, do sfidojnë azerët në Europë, Xhejms: I eliminoj unë!" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  19. ^ "Laçi barazon në ndeshjen e parë për kualifikim në Europa League" (in Albanian). Koha.net. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  20. ^ "Europa League, "bie" Laci, Kukësi mëson rivalin e fazës së dytë" (in Albanian). Lajmi Fundit. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  21. ^ Olsi Karagjozi (27 February 2016). "Vllaznia ndalet nga Laçi, barazim pa gola në Shkodër" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  22. ^ Olsi Karagjozi (27 February 2016). "Lajme të mira nga Vllaznia, përmirësohet gjendja e Gurishtës" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  23. ^ Rinald Bregasi (28 February 2016). "Vllaznia, përmirësohet gjendja e Gurishtës" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  24. ^ a b "Albania - V. Nimani - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  25. ^ "Football : Valdon Nimani". Football Database. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
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