Anesti Arapi
Anesti Arapi (born 6 July 1963) is an Albanian retired footballer, who played the majority of his career as a goalkeeper for Flamurtari Vlorë.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 July 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Albania | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1991 | Flamurtari | ||
| 1991–1992 | Iraklis | 3 | (0) |
| 1992–1997 | Flamurtari | 95 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1990 | Albania | 2 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Club career
A soon as Albanians were free to leave the country after the end of the communist era, Arapi moved abroad to play alongside Flamurtari teammate and compatriot Sokol Kushta in neighboring Greece for Iraklis Saloniki.[1] He returned to Flamurtari however after just one season in Saloniki.
UEFA Cup matches against Barcelona
As Flamurtari's reserve goalkeeper, Arapi was deemed too young and inexperienced to play in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup against Spanish giants FC Barcelona after their first goalkeeper Luan Birçe was not allowed to travel so the football federation ordered Lokomotiva Durrës keeper Artur Lekbello to stand in at the club for a season.[2] Arapi did however play when they met Barcelona again in the 1987–88 UEFA Cup.[3]
International career
He made his debut for Albania in a November 1990 European Championship qualification match against France and earned his second and final cap in a 0-9 defeat by Spain in December in the same year.[4]
References
- Foreign Players in Greece since 1959/60 - RSSSF
- Artur Lekbello, oficeri i Brigadës së Tankeve që ndali Barcelonën - Panorama (in Albanian)
- Kujtojmë kohën kur Barcelona e madhe ishte mposhtur nga Flamurtari i Vlorës - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
- "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
External links
- Anesti Arapi at National-Football-Teams.com