Tuesday, July 26, 2005

'Balkan' Lazio add Kosovo-born midfielder Behrami to roster

Rome - Lazio of Rome announced Tuesday the signing of Kosovo-born Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami from second division side Verona for a reported 2.8 million euros (3.36 million dollars).

The highly-rated 20-year-old signed a five-year contract worth 300,000 euros per season, set to rise progressively to 500,000 euros. Verona agreed to sell its 50 per cent stake in the player after obtaining the consent of Genoa, which owns the other half.

Behrami will join a squad that features strikers Goran Pandev of Macedonia and Igli Tare of Albania and which local media have already nicknamed "Balkan Lazio".

The Roman club is trying to bounce back after narrowly escaping bankruptcy last year. The team will play Marseilles of France in the Intertoto competition semifinal scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

Winners of the Intertoto Cup are allowed a place in next season's UEFA Cup.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is there anything Albanians are not good at? I don't think so. All we needed is the world to see our greatness.

Anonymous said...

I see! and there are more to come.

Anonymous said...

Behrami sucks, for the mere fact that he turned down the Albanian national team for the Swiss and when it came to the Swiss he didn't get the chance to play, now he is stuck in the middle. What kind of albanian turns down his country??

Anonymous said...

Dirtbag.

Anonymous said...

We are talking strictly about talent here - because we know how cheap some are.

Anonymous said...

Lads dont take it soo hard, the guy needs money, and needs a name, then he can move to the Albanian team, with a name and then the Albanian team will have a name, its math :)

Anonymous said...

"Balkan Lazio"?
Isn't this the same Lazio that had a lot of Serbian players a few years ago?
Where their tifosi had giant signs supporting Arkan?

I guess we can call it: "Balkan Lazio, formerly known as the Chetnik Lazio"


Tosi
Sweden