TIRANA, March 10 – Albania’s Italian-born coach Gianni De Biasi has been given the Special Golden Bench award by the Italian Football Association for his historic achievement of taking Albania to the Euro 2016. De Biasi, who has been in charge of the Albanian national team since 2011, had also been awarded a Silver Bench award back in 2002 for promoting Modena to top Italian Serie A league. The Italian coach has turned into a national hero in Albania following the national side’s first ever qualification to a major football competition in late 2015.
De Biasi, who turns 60 this year, was given the award for his international achievement and promoting the Italian football school.
“I dedicate this recognition to the players thanks to whom I can participate at the European Championship and to my family. I think it is an important achievement for us coaches,” said De Biasi, who since 2015 has also obtained Albanian citizenship.
Speaking to Italian media after the award, De Biazi said the low pressure on Albania to qualify from the group stage will be positive for the team as happened in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign when Denmark and Serbia were favorites over Albania.
“We will play the same as we have done until now although we lag behind in ranking. Playing the group matches will be something amazing for us,” he says.
Albania will play friendlies against Austria, Luxembourg and Qatar in the Euro 2016 warm-up campaign.
The Austria friendly scheduled for March 26 is seen as key test for the national side in a comeback encounter 28 years after the two teams, both qualified for Euro 2016, last faced each other. Three days later, on March 29 Albania will play modest Luxembourg. The football association says it also negotiating for another friendly ahead of the Euro 2016 kick-off after the Qatar fixture on May 29.
Albania will face hosts France, Switzerland and Romania in Group A of the Euro 2016 in a bid to make another surprise campaign after a historic qualification as an outsider.
Last October, Albania beat Armenia 3-0 to claim direct qualification in the 2016 UEFA European Championship in a decisive last qualifier for the second place in Group I of the Euro qualifiers to avoid play-offs in case of a possible third place.
Group I also featured leaders Portugal, third-placed Denmark and Serbia and Armenia.
Albania will make its first-ever appearance in a major football competition on June 11, 2016 against Switzerland in what is considered a derby as the Albanian side features as many as seven Swiss-born players while five of the Swiss internationals have Albanian roots.
