The 2016–17 season was Klubi i Futbollit Tirana's 78th competitive season, 78th consecutive season in the Kategoria Superiore and 96th year in existence as a football club.
Season overview
June On 1 June, Disciplinary Committee of AFA reduced the sentence of Gentian Muça from one year to only the first four matches of the new season. Eight days later, Elis Bakaj terminated his contract with the club and signed with the Croatian Prva HNL team RNK Split. On 13 June, Ilir Daja officially returned to Tirana after he was convinced by the club president Refik Halili, and during the press conference on the same day, they both presented the new project for the new season.
On 15 June, the club parted ways with Ilir Avdyli after only six months of cooperation. A day later, Tirana terminated the cooperation with the midfielder Allush Gavazaj, who spend the previous season on loan at Tërbuni Pukë. Tirana later brought back the veteran goalkeeper Ilion Lika for a third slint at the club.
On 23 June, Gentian Muça was sent on loan at Kukësi only for the club's 2016–17 UEFA Europa League campaign, just like in the previous season. A day later, Argjend Malaj signed with Skënderbeu Korçë as a free agent after he didn't extend his contract with Tirana.
On 29 June, Dritan Smajli left the club after terminating his contract after one season cooperation.
July On 4 July, Ansi Nika was signed by the club on a free transfer; Nika signed a two-year contract. One day later, after one-year hiatus, Afrim Taku returned from the United States and signed a one-year contract with Tirana. They were presented on 8 July.
A day later, Tirana acquired the services of Marvin Turtulli from Dinamo Tirana on a three-year contract. Following that, on 11 July, Tirana purchased Asion Daja of Partizani Tirana on a two-year deal, becoming the club's fifth summer signing. On 13 July, Dorian Kërçiku agreed a contract extension with the club, singing until July 2019, while the goalie Edvan Bakaj signed a new two-year contract. One day later, Tirana signed a new two-year deal with Erion Hoxhallari. On the same day, the youngster David Domgjoni returned in the club after finishing his loan at Kastrioti Krujë and penned a three-year contract.
On 17 July, Tirana announced via its official Facebook page that the team traveled to Zlatibor, Serbia to make the summer preparations for the upcoming season. Tirana also informed that the team would stay for two weeks at Iris Hotel and will arrange four friendlies. One day later, Tirana brought on trial Nigerian striker Emeka Emerun, who flew out to Zlatibor to link up with the rest of the squad on their summer training camp. However, he left the team on 25 July after refusing to continue the trial.
Tirana won the first friendly match against OFK Petrovac with the result 3–1. Halili, Karabeci and Bajramaj scored the goals for Tirana. On 22 July, Gentian Muça returned to the team after the end Kukësi's European campaign. One the same day, Ryota Noma and Hiroaki Yamamoto joined the club on trial until the end of summer training camp. In the next friendly match against OFK Grbalj, Tirana suffered a 0–1 narrow defeat, with Todorović scoring the match only goal. In the third friendly versus Novi Pazar, Tirana didn't go more than a goalless draw. In the final friendly against the OFK Beograd, Tirana clinched a 1–0 victory to end thus the summer preparations.
August On 19 August, Tirana confirmed the signing of four players, respectively Romuald Ntsitsigui, Ifeanyi Edeh, Moise Nkounkou and Merveille Ndockyt; they all signed two-year contracts and were presented on the same day. A day later, Tirana officially terminated the contract with the defender Ronald Gërçaliu by mutual consensus. On 26 August, Tirana completed the signing of the 19-years old striker Flamur Bajrami on a three-year contract.
September Tirana started the month by completing the signing of Argjend Mustafa on a free transfer. Tirana started the season on 7 September with a goalless draw against Teuta Durrës in the opening 2016–17 Kategoria Superiore week. This draw was followed by another goalless draw away against Laçi four days later, a match which brought a controversial moment in the 38th minute as the referee Remzi Sadiku denied Tirana a clear penalty after a handball from a Laçi player. In the matchday 3 against Kukësi at home, Tirana produced a hard-fought performance, coming from behind two times to earn a 2–2 draw. Afrim Taku and Merveille Ndockyt scored the first goals of the season.
In the fourth match against Partizani Tirana in the so-called "Tirana derby", Tirana didn't go more than a goalless draw, making it the fourth consecutive draw. It was the worst start in the history of the club since the 1960'. To begin its Albanian Cup campaign, Tirana was shorted against Sopoti Librazhd and played its first leg match at Selman Stërmasi Stadium. Tirana netted first through a Gilman Lika goal in the 45th minute, but Sopoti equalized via a Mirel Çota penalty minutes before the final whistle.
Players Squad information
Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of Birth (Age) Goalkeepers1Ilion LikaGK31Edvan BakajGK Defenders3Endrit IdrizajLB4Gentian MuçaCB/DM5Marvin TurtulliCB 6David DomgjoniRB21Olsi TeqjaRB / LB / CB28Erion HoxhallariLB Midfielders7Gilman LikaAMF/LW / RW10Erjon VucajCMF / MF13Erando Karabeci (captain)CM / DM / AM14Asion DajaCM / RB15Fjoralb DeliajCM17Gjergji MuzakaLW / RW18Dorian KërçikuCM / RB / LB22Moise NkounkouLM 25Majkel PeciAM26Afrim TakuCM / RB / RW77Ansi NikaCM–Argjend MustafaCM19Merveille NdockytAM / LW / RW Forwards3Moctar CisseCF8Romuald NtsitsiguiCF9Grend HaliliCF11Ifeanyi EdehCF
Transfers
In
Summer Date Nationality Player Moving from Fee Notes Ref Flamurtari Vlorë Free Kukësi Free Free agent Free Dinamo Tirana Free Partizani Tirana Free Kastrioti Krujë N/A Return from loan Sloboda Užice Free Kukësi N/A Return from loan Mangasport Free Enyimba Free Léopards Free Léopards Free Free agent Free Laçi Free
Winter
Out
Summer Date Nationality Player Moving to Fee Notes Ref Skënderbeu Korçë Free RNK Split Free Free agent Free agent Kukësi Free Only for Europa League campaign Skënderbeu Korçë Free Free agent Free agent
Winter
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions
Kategoria Superiore
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
Albanian Cup
First round
Second round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics
Squad stats {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- ! ! style="width:70px;"|League ! style="width:70px;"|Cup ! style="width:70px;"|Total Stats |- |align=left|Games played ||5||2||7 |- |align=left|Games won ||1||1||2 |- |align=left|Games drawn ||4||1||5 |- |align=left|Games lost ||0||0||0 |- |align=left|Goals scored ||5||8||13 |- |align=left|Goals conceded ||2||1||3 |- |align=left|Goal difference ||3||7||10 |- |align=left|Clean sheets ||4||1||5
Top scorers No.Pos.NationNameKategoria SuperioreAlbanian CupTotal 26 MF Afrim Taku 3 2 5 25 MF Majkel Peci 0 3 3 9 FW Grend Halili 0 2 2 7 MF Gilman Lika 0 1 1 11 FW Ifeanyi Edeh 1 0 1 19 FW Merveille Ndockyt 1 0 1 TOTAL 5 8 13 Last updated: 10 October 2016
Clean sheets The list is sorted by shirt number when total appearances are equal. PlayerKategoria SuperioreAlbanian CupTotal11 Ilion Lika404231 Edvan Bakaj011TOTALS415
References
External links Official website