Andi Lila

Andi Lila was born on the 12th February 1986 in Kavaje. He is a footballer from Albania. He plays the role of a defender for his club, PAS Giannina in the Greek Superleague.

source of picture: www.panorama-sport.com

Career

Lila began the playing of football with a club that is in his hometown, Base Kavaje. He played his first match for the club in the 2002/03 seasonin the superliga on the 14th December 2002. It was an away match that was played against KS Teuta Durres. Lila came into the game a replacement for Ervin bardhi.

Since he started his first game for the club, he began to impress several people with his performance on the pitch at the right back. This created an opportunity for him to make a move to the Greek club Iraklis FC in January 2007, and it was there that he joined other players from his country like; Enea Koliqi, Elvis Kaja and Indrit Fortuzi. Though he made a move to the big club, he found it hard to settle in the club and he had to return to his first club after six months with the club. 

With his return to the club, Besa Kavaje, he played 26 matches for the club, and he did not score a goal for the club. He was as well a beaten Albanian supercup finalist after he had lost the finals that was played against KF Tirana, 4-2. The defender played his final match for the club in the Intertoto Cup on the 12th July 2008. He came into the game on the 57th minute of the game . the game finished 3-0 in favor of the opponents. 

Lika finished his move to KF Tirana on the 21st July 2008, after he had come to terms with the club, KF Tirana and the president of the club, Refik Halili. Since he entered the capital city of the country, he was able to settle faster in the club. His first game for the club was the opening match that was played against KS Vllaznia Shkoder. He was in the match for complete 90 minutes. He scored his first goal for the club in the derby match that was played against Partizani Tirana. He scored the winner goal of the match in the 90th minute of the game and that goal was able to secure the three points for the club. He didn’t wait so long for another goal to come as he scored a week after his first goal in a match that was played against Apolonia Fier. His goal of the match came in the 28th minute of the game. He played 29 matches for the club in the 2008/09 season and scored four goals for the club

He signed a 3-year deal with PAS Giannina, a Greek club on the 24th June 2011 worth €700,000, with bonuses. He played his first game for the club on the 27th August 2011 in a match that was played against Thessaloniki, and the match ended goalless draw.

International Career

Lila was first called to play for the Albanian national team in the year 2007 by Otto Baric. It was display he showed on the right back of the pitch for his club in the superliga that attracted the attention of the national coach of the country. He played his first match for the national team of the country in the 2008 Euro Qualifiers, and the match that was played against Romania in Bucarest on the 21st November 2007. He began the game at the right back of the pitch and played till the end of the game. Meanwhile the game was a game never to be forgotten as the game finished 6-1 in favor of Romania, and the coach of the national team resigned after an hour of the embarrassing match. The next manager of the national team of the country Arie Haan like Lila and called him up for the senior team of the country. He played his first match under the new coach of the national team in a friendly match that was played against Poland on the 27th May 2008. Lila began the game but was subbed at the half time with Endrit Vrapi. The game finished 1-0 in favor of the opponents although Albanians played well after the goal was scored in the 3rd minute of the game. Lila managed to play another two games under the coach, in a friendly match that was played against Liechtenstein and a FIFA World Cup 2010 Qualifier that was played against Malta. He came into the both games as a replacement.