Anesti Arapi (born 6 July 1963) is an Albanian retired footballer, who played the majority of his career as a goalkeeper for Flamurtari Vlorë. He also played for the Albania national team.

Anesti Arapi
Personal information
Date of birth (1963-07-06) 6 July 1963 (age 61)
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)
International career
1990 Albania 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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]

Honours

edit
1991[5]

References

edit
  1. ^ Foreign Players in Greece since 1959/60 - RSSSF
  2. ^ Artur Lekbello, oficeri i Brigadës së Tankeve që ndali Barcelonën - Panorama (in Albanian)
  3. ^ Kujtojmë kohën kur Barcelona e madhe ishte mposhtur nga Flamurtari i Vlorës - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
  4. ^ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  5. ^ Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
edit