Albania vs Luxembourg - prediction, team news, lineups

Desperate for a assurance boost, Albania, inactive stinging from the World Cup playoff heartbreak that ended their imagination of a first-ever finals appearance, volition look to apprehension their descent erstwhile Luxembourg sojourn the Air Albania Stadium connected Saturday evening for a friendly.

The visitors get successful nary amended shape, having suffered their ain 1-0 decision successful midweek, and with some nations heading into Nations League campaigns successful September, momentum volition beryllium astatine a premium.

Match preview

Rolando Maran’s broadside caput into Saturday’s lucifer having mislaid each of their past 4 games - including the gut-wrenching 2-1 playoff semi-final defeat to Poland connected March 26 that extinguished their World Cup hopes, earlier back-to-back affable losses to Ukraine and Israel on March 31 and this past Wednesday respectively.

The nonaccomplishment to people successful either of those 2 affable defeats is simply a peculiar interest for Maran, who took complaint precocious and is inactive successful the aboriginal stages of gathering his stamp connected the squad - Saturday representing conscionable his 2nd lucifer astatine the helm.

Ranked 64th successful the world, Albania person made important strides arsenic a footballing federation successful caller years and person established themselves arsenic a competitory European broadside susceptible of qualifying for large tournaments, but the existent tally of results is simply a reminder of the enactment inactive to beryllium done.

Saturday’s lucifer serves arsenic their last warm-up earlier they statesman their 2026 Nations League run against Belarus connected September 26, making the request to rediscover immoderate momentum each the much pressing.

Luxembourg get having besides been beaten 1-0 successful midweek, falling to Italy connected Wednesday - a decision that continued their ain hard caller tally aft losing each six of their World Cup qualifying fixtures.

Jeff Strasser’s broadside have, however, shown they tin beryllium competitory with back-to-back victories implicit Malta successful the Nations League qualifying circular successful March.

Ranked 98th successful the satellite with a colonisation of astir 700,000, Luxembourg’s beingness astatine this level of planetary shot remains a genuine achievement, and Strasser volition beryllium looking for his broadside to physique connected those Malta victories and transportation momentum into the Nations League.

The head-to-head grounds betwixt these 2 nations is evenly poised, with Luxembourg having won the past 3 meetings, and crossed the past 7 encounters, the sides person 3 wins each, with 1 goalless gully separating them.

Albania International Friendlies form:

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Albania signifier (all competitions):

Luxembourg International Friendlies form:

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Luxembourg signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Albania volition beryllium without regular goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, with Alen Sherri acceptable to proceed betwixt the posts for Saturday’s match.

Armando Broja of Burnley and Anis Mehmeti are acceptable to run arsenic a onslaught concern up front, with Arber Hoxha expected to enactment them from an attacking midfield position. 

Centre-backs Arlind Ajeti and Berat Djimsiti are expected to anchor the antiaircraft enactment successful beforehand of Sherri, providing the acquisition and organisation Maran volition need, fixed the team’s caller vulnerability.

Juljan Shehu could beryllium introduced from the bench, arsenic helium was successful the erstwhile game.

For Luxembourg, Laurent Jans,  who has 123 caps to his name, is expected to proceed arsenic skipper and diagnostic successful defence alongside Seid Korac.

Daniel Sinani of St. Pauli is acceptable to pb the onslaught erstwhile again, with Vincent Thill providing width from the helping and Mathias Olesen operating successful midfield.

Albania imaginable starting lineup:

Sherri; Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Laci, Asllani, Ramadani; Broja, Mehmeti, Hoxha

Luxembourg imaginable starting lineup:

Moris; Pinto, Carlson, Korac, Jans; Bohnert, Cruz, Olesen, Martins, Thill; Sinani

We say: Albania 2-1 Luxembourg

Albania's four-match losing tally is concerning, but the hopeless request for a affirmative effect earlier the Nations League begins should sharpen Maran’s broadside considerably connected Saturday, and Luxembourg person struggled for signifier themselves.

The visitors’ 3 consecutive wins successful the head-to-head cannot beryllium ignored, and Sinani volition fancy his chances against a defence that has been breached successful each of Albania’s past 4 outings - but the operation of location unit and a manager hopeless to assertion his archetypal triumph should beryllium capable to borderline a choky one.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.