Tirana

2012–13 season
Chairman	Lulzim Basha
Manager	Nevil Dede
Ground	Selman Stërmasi Stadium
Kategoria Superiore	5th
Albanian Cup	Second round
Europa League	Second qualifying round
Top goalscorer	Mirel Cota (5)
Home colours Away colours

The 2012–13 season was Klubi i Futbollit Tirana's 74th competitive season, 74th consecutive season in the Kategoria Superiore and 92nd year in existence as a football club. Following the title win four seasons ago, KF Tirana added to their 23 titles to make it their record 24th title win. KF Tirana played UEFA Europa League against CS Grevenmacher and Aalesunds FK.

2012

The club could get organized better for the current season, starting from Europa League participation. Even though having a healthy budget, club officials were too late to bring quality players on time, adding here the fact that they let go of main attacker, Bekim Balaj for a funny transfer sum to AC Sparta Prague despite Balaj still had six month of contract left. And lost few other players, however, they have the merit to keep team's core and also bringing some new arrivals, all for sake of achieving the title after three years drought. Tirana managed to pass only one round in Europa League, eliminating CS Grevenmacher of Luxembourg, before being knocked out from Norwegians of Aalesunds FK in the 2nd round. Tirana won again the Supercup (their jubilee 10th trophy), by beating on their 3rd final clash KF Skënderbeu Korçë. Despite due to extend his link with Tirana for the following two seasons and continuing the project, the successful Spanish coach, Rubio, did not sign that contract officially, due to some clauses on which himself and the club did not agree and eventually him and the club departed ways after over 13 months cooperation.^[1] Artur Lekbello was appointed Tirana new coach, but despite his credits as a player in the past, he did not prove that successful as a coach and therefore presented his resignation to club administrator after only 42 days, following unpleasant results in Tirana's bench. Alban Tafaj once again took the vacant place as a temporary coach. The end of the year 2012 found KF Tirana in the 3rd spot of 2012-13 Kategoria Superiore, 11 points adrift leaders KF Skënderbeu Korçë. Tirana were also eliminated early in the Cup. After passed KF Partizani at the first round winning both matches, 2-1 and 1-0 they were eliminated at second round from debut team, FK Kukësi losing first leg 0-4 and winning second one 3-2.

Background

Coaching staff

As of November 2012^[2]

Players

2012–13 squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ALB Ilion Lika (captain) 2 DF  ALB Elvis Sina 3 DF  ALB Erjon Dushku 4 MF  ALB Gentian Muça 5 DF  ALB Entonio Pashaj 6 DF  ALB Renaldo Kalari 7 DF  ALB Arjan Pisha 8 MF  ALB Elton Muçollari 9 MF  ALB Afrim Taku 10 MF  ALB Mensur Limani 11 MF  ALB Gilman Lika

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 MF  ALB Julian Ahmataj 13 MF  ALB Erando Karabeci 14 FW  ALB Mario Morina 16 FW  ALB Mirel Cota 17 MF  ALB Klodian Duro 18 MF  ALB Nertil Ferraj 19 MF  ALB Ardit Peposhi 20 MF  ALB Gerald Tusha 21 FW  ALB Arber Abilaliaj 24 MF  ALB Gerald Tusha 25 GK  ALB Xhino Sejdo 27 MF  ALB Fabio Hoxha 30 MF  ITA Francesco Pigoni

Competitions

Albanian Supercup

Main article: 2012 Albanian Supercup

Tirana v Skënderbeu Korçë

19 August 2012 Final	Tirana	2–1	Skënderbeu Korçë	Tiranë
20:00 CET	Taku 40'  89' G. Lika  46'  90' Dushku  65'  84' Radaš 90' (o.g.)	Report	Kuli  42' Arapi  46' Plaku 51' Lilaj  62'	Stadium: Qemal Stafa Stadium Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Enea Jorgji

Albanian Cup

Main article: 2012–13 Albanian Cup

First round

Partizani Tirana v Tirana

26 September 2012 First leg	Partizani Tirana	1–2	Tirana	Tiranë
19:00 CET	Thana 13'  80' Sulçe  37' Duqi  82'	Report	Morina 8' Pisha  21' Taku  34' Pashaj  42' G. Lika 43' Karabeci  88'	Stadium: Qemal Stafa Stadium Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Lorenc Jemini

Tirana v Partizani Tirana

3 October 2012 Second leg	Tirana	1–0 (3–1 agg.)	Partizani Tirana	Tiranë
14:30 CET	Çota 8' Karabeci  84'	Report	Thana  45'	Stadium: Selman Stërmasi Stadium Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Olsi Sokoli

Second round

Kukësi v Tirana

24 October 2012 First leg	Kukësi	4–0	Tirana	Kukës
14:00 CET	Popović 27', 61' Malota  37' Biskup  71' Allmuça 86', 89' Musolli  90+1'	Report	Pashaj  33' Karabeci  90' Dushku  90+1'	Stadium: Zeqir Ymeri Stadium Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Laver Alla

Tirana v Kukësi

7 November 2012 Second leg	Tirana	3–2 (3–6 agg.)	Kukësi	Tiranë
13:30 CET	Çota  8' 62' Sina  10' Dushku  45' Taku  52' Morina  57' 64' Ferraj  65' G. Lika 85'	Report	Progni 3' Allmuça 28' Brahja  45' Biskup  80' Musolli  87'	Stadium: Qemal Stafa Stadium Attendance: 200 Referee: Elvis Peza

UEFA Europa League

Main article: 2012–13 UEFA Europa League

First qualifying round

Tirana v Grevenmacher

5 July 2012 First leg	Tirana	2–0	Grevenmacher	Tiranë, Albania
19:00 CET	Muçollari 40' Ferraj 45+2'	Report		Stadium: Qemal Stafa Stadium Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Vitaly Sevostyanik (Belarus)

Grevenmacher v Tirana

10 July 2012 Second leg	Grevenmacher	0–0 (0–2 agg.)	Tirana	Dudelange, Luxembourg
17:45 CET		Report		Stadium: Stade Jos Nosbaum Attendance: 546 Referee: Domagoj Vučkov (Croatia)

Second qualifying round

Tirana v Aalesund

19 July 2012 First leg	Tirana	1–1	Aalesund	Tiranë, Albania
19:00 CET	Çota 38'	Report	Stewart 57'	Stadium: Qemal Stafa Stadium Attendance: 2,300 Referee: Aleksei Kulbakov (Belarus)

Aalesund v Tirana

26 July 2012 Second leg	Aalesund	5–0 (6–1 agg.)	Tirana	Ålesund, Norway
19:00 CET	Barrantes 45+1' Tollås 48' James 64', 77' Stewart 83'	Report		Stadium: Color Line Stadion Attendance: 4,225 Referee: Arnold Hunter (Northern Ireland)

References