Andi Lila

At 38 years old, Andi Lila has this physical status:

Andi Lila (born 12 February 1986) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Albania's national team.

He has played both left and right back early in his career, as well as left back, but in recent years, he has primarily played in a defensive midfield and a right midfielder. Lila began his career with Besa Kavaj, where he made his debut in 2002 as a 16-year-old boy and then became a regular first team player, winning him a move to Greek club Iraklis in January 2007.

After struggling to settle at Iraklis, he became the team captain shortly, leading them to a third-place finish in the Albanian Superliga before heading to KF Tirana just one year ago in Kavaj.

During his three years with KF Tirana, he was a fan favourite, won the Albanian Superliga in his first season there, as well as assisting his team in the Albanian Cup final, which he missed and his team lost.

His last game with the club came in the 2011 Albanian Cup final, where his side lost on penalties after extra time, before heading to Greece for a second time, this time with PAS Giannina. He quickly integrated himself in PAS Giannina's first season back in Greece and then advanced to the Superleague playoffs in his second season with the club before finishing in last place in his third season.

Following Parma's bankruptcy, he joined struggling Serie A side Parma on loan for the second half of the 2014–15 season, but he could not help the team avoid relegation and return to his parent club PAS Giannina.

Since returning to the first team, he has struggled to recover his place in the team, and has been limited to mainly replacement appearances in the league. Lila has performed for Albania at the under-17, under-19, 21-, and senior levels.

He made his senior international debut against Romania in 2007 and has since earned 59 caps, but has yet to score a senior international goal.

He was Albania's first choice right back in 2010 under Josip Kute, and he also began playing in the defensive midfield position.

He has mostly played as a right midfielder or right winger since 2014, and he has helped Albania qualify for the country's first major international tournament since being crowned in Euro 2016.

He was also heavily involved in the 2014 Serbia vs. Albania game, which culminated in the game being called off and Albania winning by a walkover victory over Serbia.

Personal life

He is married with Ornela Lila, and the couple became parents for the first time on March 20, 2015, when Lila's wife gave birth to the couple's first son, named Ayan. Lila was honoured with the "Honorary Citizen of Kavaja" award on July 16, 2015, for defending the national symbols and contributing to Albanian football. Lila said in an interview that growing up, his favorite team was Internazionale, based in Italy. He is also a fan of the American heavy metal band Metallica and The Beatles.

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Club career

Lila began his career with Besa Kavaj, his hometown club. On December 14, 2002, he made his club debut during the 2002–03 season in the Albanian Superliga, against Teuta Durrr's away match. Lila was brought on as a replacement at halftime by the time she took over Ervin Bardhi. However, it was not a game to remember for the young Lila as it finished 5–0 to Teuta Durrs.

Lila's career at right-back paved the way for his transfer to Iraklis, where he joined Albanians Enea Koliçi, Elvis Kaja, and Indrit Fortuzi. Despite making his international dream come true, Lila struggled to settle in Greece, and after only 6 months and three appearances, he returned to his hometown club, Besa Kavaj.

Following his return, he was named captain of the team. He appeared 26 times without scoring a single goal during the 2007–08 season. Tirana also defeated the team at the 2007 Albanian Supercup. Lila lost by a 0–3 loss in his last match against Grasshopper in the Intertoto Cup.

Lila completed his move to Tirana on July 21, 2008 after he and his handler Sokol Haxhia reached an agreement with the capital club and its president Refik Halili. In which he played full-90 minutes of the goalless draw in his first game as a Tirana player, he was his first game of the season. In his third appearance in the capital derby against Partizani Tirana, he scored on September 14th, defeating the team's earlier winner to give his team the three points.

Lila didn't have to wait for another goal against Apolonia Fier on September 20, 2008, when his goal came in the 28th minute of the game. He was the club's first choice right back and played 29 games, but he also demonstrated his attacking skills by scoring 4 goals during the campaign. Tirana closed the season by winning its 24th title, leaving Vllaznia Shkoddr fourth place. Tirana advanced to the final of the 2008-09 Albanian Cup, where "The White and Blues" were defeated 2–1 by Flamurtari Vlory in a game in which Lila was an unneeded substitute.

Lila began his second season with Tirana in 2009-2010 with a game against Stab, the first leg of the UEFA Champions League's first round. Even in the returning leg, Tirana lost by 4–0 at Telenor Arena, crashing out of aggregate competition 1–5. Lila also won his second silverware at Tirana, the Albanian Supercup's second silverware, where he helped the team beat Flamurtari Vlor 1–0 at Qemal Stafa Stadium on August 16th.

Lila completed her move to PAS Giannina, Greece, on June 24, 2011 by signing a three-year contract worth €200,000 in bonuses.

He was given squad number 3 and made his competitive debut on August 27th by starting in a goalless draw against Aris Thessaloniki in the first week of 2011-12 Superleague Greece. Epirus Lila's rookie season at Ajax, he played in 21 league appearances, scoring no goals as the team finished eighth in championship. Lila had the second worst discipline record in the team with eight yellow cards.

Lila started his second season on August 25th by playing in the 0–0 draw against Platanias at Zosimades Stadium. In the first leg of the third round, he made his first Greek Football Cup appearance against Panserraikos, which was 1–0. He scored the first time for the club on December 8th as he scored the first piece of the 0–2 win over Kerkyra. In the second leg of the Greek Football Cup against Fostiras, his team defeated Fostiras 23-0, his second game of the season. PAS Giannina finished fifth in championship and was disqualified by Olympiacos in the quarter-finals of the cup, concluding his second season in Greece by playing 35 games between league and cup. He had the second worst discipline record in the company, second worst on record.

Lila had already announced that his PAS Giannina deal had come to an end on July 12, allowing him to join Croatian side HNK Rijeka, but he later decided against this and signed a new three-year deal with PAS Giannina.

Lila was released on loan at Serie A club Parma on December 28, 2014. As the transfer window reopened on January 1, 2015, the deal was confirmed. Lila said during his address that moving to Serie A is a dream come true, and that Serie A is the best league in the country. Due to the club's ongoing financial difficulties, eleven days later, the club announced that the contract was provisional with the option to purchase.

He made his Parma debut on January 14, 2015, when he took the Coppa Italia match against Cagliari in the Coppa Italia Cup. Lila was then forced to leave the field due to a thigh muscle injury after 13 minutes. Lila scored his first goal for Parma against Sassuolo on March 15, 2015, after starting from scratch, with the Gialloblu losing 4–1 on the Gialloblo.

Lila first refused to return from Parma's loan stint, with the intention of finding a new club in Serie A. In the first days of August 2015, he began training with Albanian side Sknderbeu Korç in order to maintain his form. Lila's team then departed for the new season, where he was recalled his old squad number 3.

In the 0–2 victory over Atromitos on January 24, 2016, he made his 100th Superleague appearance by playing 70th minutes.

Lila started the 2016-17 season by making his Europa League debut for the club on July 14th by participating in the first leg of the first qualifying round against Odds BK, which was a landslide. He also played in the returning leg a week after PAS Giannina won at extra time after regular time ended 3–0. Lila's European campaign came to an end with four games after the team was eliminated in the second qualifying round by AZ Alkmaar.

Lila was caught on international service on March 25, 2017. This caused the club to request that his deal be terminated. He retaliated and apologised for the occurrence three days later, saying that his conduct was "completely intolerable." Lila went to personally greet the priest and apologize in person, as well as giving him a gift. In the 1–1 home draw against Xanthi, he was left on the bench on April 1st. In the 3–0 loss at Veria, he returned to the starting lineup four days later, scoring his first game of the season and his first of the season later that month, an opener against AEK Athens in the matchday 30. He completed his 6th season with the club by appearing in 22 different tournaments.

Lila has signed a new deal until June 2020, which is the beginning of a new one. Lila mutual renewed his deal with the club on July 1st, 2019.

International career

Lila was first called up to the Albania national team by Otto Baric in late 2007; it was his debut as a right back for Besa Kavaj in the Albanian Superliga that caught the Croatian's attention. He made his senior debut against Romania in Bucharest, on November 21, 2007. Lila started the game at right back and played the full 90 minutes. However, it wasn't a debut to remember because the game ended 6–1 to Romania, and the head coach of Albania's national team resigned as the Albanian national team's head coach just one hour after the humiliating loss.

Lila's play was also liked by the national team's next manager, and he was given a call up by Arie Haan to his first game in charge, a friendly against Poland on May 27, 2008. Lila got off the field, but Endrit Vrapi was forced to leave at halftime. The game ended in a 1–0 loss, but the Albanians did a good job after conceding in the 3rd minute. In a friendly against Liechtenstein and a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Malta, Andi Lila managed to play another two games under Arie Haan. He appeared as a substitute in both games.

Lila played a key role in Albania's triumphant UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier campaign. Albania defeated Portugal 1-0 in the first 15 minutes of Group I's first match against "Seleço das Quinas," with Albania winning by a 0–1 win at Estádio Municipal. Lila's debut in the match against Serbia was his 50th international appearance; he started as a starter until the 42nd minute, where the match was postponed due to Serbian supporters' eruption of flares onto the pitch. Serbian hooligans assaulted him and other Albanian players, throwing chairs and other items on the pitch. Serbia was granted a 3–0 victory by UEFA, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport was deducted three points, giving Serbia and Albania an equal win and Serbia Serbia were still deducted three points.

Albania's spot in Group UEFA Euro 2016 was confirmed after defeating 0–3 against Armenia on October 11, 2015, after winning 0–3 at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium against Armenia on October 11, 2015. Lila was selected in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 on May 21 and in Albania's final 23-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad on May 31.

Lila was an unused substitute in the first Group A match against Switzerland, when Albania lost 0–1. His first European Championship appearance came later in June against France's hosts, who won the match 2–0 at the last minute. Lilaj served as a starter in Albania's last group match against Romania, who defeated Romania 1–0 for the first time in a major football tournament. It was Albania's first victory over Romania since 1948. Albania finished third in third position with three points and a goal difference –2, and was ranked last in third-placed teams, which eventually dropped them.

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