Bledi Shkëmbi

Bledi Shkëmbi

File:Bledi Shkëmbi.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Bledi Shkëmbi
Date of birth	(1979-08-13) 13 August 1979
Place of birth	Korçë, Albania
Height
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Skënderbeu Korçë
Number	10
Youth career
1990–1997	Skënderbeu Korçë
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2000	Skënderbeu Korçë	80	(4)
2000–2001	Teuta Durrës	21	(1)
2001	Ethnikos Asteras	1	(0)
2002–2004	HNK Rijeka	50	(2)
2004	Kamen Ingrad	14	(2)
2005–2006	Zaporizhzhya	22	(0)
2006	FC Kryvbas	5	(0)
2007	Teuta Durrës	13	(0)
2007–2008	Partizani Tirana	25	(3)
2008–2009	Skënderbeu Korçë	42	(8)
2010	Besa Kavajë	14	(2)
2010–	Skënderbeu Korçë	130	(27)
International career‡
2001–2006	Albania	14	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 July 2015

Bledi Shkëmbi (born 13 August 1979 in Korçë) is an Albanian footballer who plays for Skënderbeu Korçë in the Albanian Superliga. A former Albanian international, he has previously played for Ethnikos Asteras in Greece, HNK Rijeka and Kamen Ingrad in Croatia, Metalurh Zaporizhzhya and FC Kryvbas in Ukraine as well as Teuta Durrës, Partizani Tirana and Besa Kavajë in Albania.

Career

Early career

Shkëmbi joined his local side Skënderbeu Korçë as an 11 year old and progressed through the youth ranks before eventually being promoted to the senior side ahead of the 1997–98 season. He immediately became a first team player as an 18-year-old, featuring in 31 league games out of a possible 34, and scoring one goal in the process to help his side finish 11th in the league out of 18 teams. The following season was similar for Shkëmbi as he was an important player in the club's midfield as they finished just 2 points above the relegation zone as he played 24 league games and scored twice. He then made 25 appearances out of a possible 26 in the league during the 1999–00 season and scored once in a 7–0 thrashing of Apolonia Fier. He was then allowed to search for a new club and leave on a free transfer.

He joined Teuta Durrës ahead of the 2000–01 season, and his first game for the club was the 2000 Albanian Supercup against KF Tirana, playing the full 90 minutes in the 1–0 loss. In the league he made 21 appearances and scored once, against Tomori Berat, as his side finished 6th with his former side Skënderbeu Korçë finishing bottom and being relegated to the Albanian First Division. He was part of the Teuta Durrës side that reached the final of the Albanian Cup during the 2000–01 season, as he scored against Naftëtari Kuçovë in the first round, before starting the final against KF Tirana who beat Teuta Durrës as they had done before the season started in the Albanian Supercup, this time 5–0. He made his European debut with Teuta Durrës on 10 August 2001 in a UEFA Cup second qualifying round game against Rapid Vienna, starting in the 2–0 loss as he was substituted in the 82nd minute for Erion Matraku. He also started the return leg but his side lost 4–0. He then left the club following their short lived UEFA Cup run, as his contract ran out.

Besa Kavajë

In January 2010, Shkembi signed with Besa Kavajë on a 18 months contract with an option to renew for another year after the expiration of it. During the second part of 2009–10 season, he played 12 matches, scoring twice in the process. He left the club after the end of the season, he and Alban Dragusha were excluded from the coach Shpëtim Duro ahead of Europan clash against Olympiacos.

Skënderbeu Korçë

In July 2010, he and Alban Dragusha were signed by Skënderbeu Korçë. His return was strongly required by the club's fans.

On 19 August 2015, in the first leg of play-off round of 2015–16 UEFA Champions League against Dinamo Zagreb at Elbasan Arena, Shkëmbi scored the opener in the 37th minute with a free kick, but it was not enough as Dinamo Zagreb reacted and won the match 2–1.

International career

He has been a former international player of Albania from 2001 to 2006, during which he collected 14 matches without scoring a goal. He was called by the coach of that time Sulejman Demollari to participate at Tournament Bahrain where he made 3 appearances, all of them as a substitute.

Statistics

Clubs

As of 19 August 2015

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Besa Kavajë	2009–10	14	2	0	0	–	–	–	–	14	2
	Total	14	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	2
Skënderbeu Korçë	2010–11	30	8	1	0	–	–	–	–	31	8
	2011–12	22	7	11	3	2	0	1	0	36	10
	2012–13	20	1	7	2	0	0	0	0	27	3
	2013–14	28	7	4	0	5	2	0	0	37	9
	2014–15	31	4	6	3	2	0	1	0	40	7
	2015–16	0	0	0	0	5	1	1	0	6	1
	Total	131	27	29	8	14	3	3	0	178	38
Career total		131	27	29	8	14	3	3	0	192	40

International statistics

As of 1 August 2015

Albania national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2002	3	0
2003	5	0
2004	2	0
2005	3	0
2006	1	0
Total	14	0

Honours

Clubs

Teuta Durrës

• Albanian Cup Runner–up (1): 2000–01
• Albanian Supercup Runner–up (1): 2000

Metalurh Zaporizhzhya

• Ukrainian Cup Runner–up (1): 2005–06

Besa Kavajë

• Albanian Cup (1): 2009–10

Skënderbeu Korçë

• Albanian Superliga (5): 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
• Albanian Cup Runner–up (1): 2011–12
• Albanian Supercup (2): 2013, 2014

Individual

• Albanian Superliga Player of the Month (1): December 2013

External links

• Bledi Shkëmbi at National-Football-Teams.com
• Profile at FFU website