Albania's Under-21 national team has begun its training camp ahead of two international friendly matches in November against Luxembourg and Spain, both scheduled to take place at the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana.
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Ahead of the two fixtures, Albania U-21 players Erald Maksuti and Ergis Arifi spoke to the Albanian Football Association's official website, FSHF.org, highlighting the positive atmosphere within the squad and the importance of the upcoming matches.
Maksuti said the team was looking forward to beginning preparations and testing itself against two challenging opponents.
"The atmosphere is very good. We are waiting for the entire squad to join us. We will begin training and preparations for two very tough matches against Luxembourg and Spain. They are strong teams. We have played against Luxembourg, and we also know Spain, as they are a world football powerhouse. We will prepare in the best possible way to reach the European Championship with better results," Maksuti said.
The young midfielder also expressed his enthusiasm about playing once again at Air Albania Stadium, in front of the home supporters, inviting Albanian fans to attend both matches and support the team.
"Playing at Air Albania is a pleasure because we play in front of our families and an amazing crowd. The more supporters there are, the more motivation we will have," he added.
Ergis Arifi also underlined the importance of the two friendlies, describing Luxembourg and Spain as valuable opponents ahead of the team's European ambitions.
"The atmosphere is very good. We are waiting for more players to join us so that we can continue training for these two very important matches. The opponents are very strong. This is a good thing for us, because Luxembourg and Spain are both very competitive teams. We need to achieve the best possible results to be ready for the European Championship," Arifi stated.
Like his teammate, Arifi also called on Albanian supporters to fill the stands and encourage the young national team.
"It is a privilege for us to play at the National Arena. I invite the fans to come in large numbers because their presence gives us additional motivation," he concluded.
The two November friendlies represent an important opportunity for Bushi's players to measure their progress against international opposition while continuing their preparations for the challenges ahead on the road to the European Under-21 Championship.