After the friendly match at the Air Albania field yesterday Albania-Italy, the teams for their representatives gathered for another friendly reception.
The meeting was organized by the Italian Embassy.
Present were all the footballers, the staffs of the two national teams, representatives of the Albanian Football Federation, members of the Executive Committee as well as members of the National Team A staff with coach Silvinjo and his assistants, Pablo Zabaleta and Doriva.
"If you look at the history of the relations we have had, you must understand that through football we have had many connections. Even all of you today's youth should know that these relations started in 1938, when for the first time the two champions in force at that time, Tirana and Bari, played a friendly match even though it was a time of war. And then we continued, we gave you good football players at that time", said Anila Basha, member of the FFA Executive Committee.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Italy in Albania, Mr. Fabrizio Buçi said:
"I thank you for this beautiful sports day, because football unites peoples and countries. You represent Italy and Albania, but when you're on the pitch you're just some guys who want to have fun, spending a few hours playing football. Albania is one of those countries where an Italian does not feel as if he were a foreigner, here is your home thanks to this friendship and special relations that exist between Italy and Albania. You played in a transfer, but it was the same as playing at home, because Albania is just like our home, just as Italy is like a home for Albanians".
Albania U-16 will play a second friendly with Italy U-16 on February 23 at the "Elbasan Arena" stadium, at 12:00.
