Klodian Duro

Klodian Duro

Personal information
Full name	Klodian Duro
Date of birth	(1977-12-21) 21 December 1977
Place of birth	Tiranë, Albania
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	FK Kukësi (manager)
Youth career
1994–1996	KF Elbasani
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1998	KF Elbasani	44	(7)
1998–1999	KF Tirana	27	(1)
1999	KF Elbasani	11	(0)
2000–2001	Vllaznia Shkodër	44	(8)
2002	Samsunspor	9	(0)
2002–2003	Malatyaspor	18	(3)
2003	Partizani Tirana	11	(3)
2004	Çaykur Rizespor	11	(1)
2004–2005	Arminia Bielefeld	19	(0)
2005–2008	KF Tirana	84	(25)
2008–2009	AC Omonia	26	(6)
2009–2010	Apollon Limassol	24	(0)
2010–2011	LASK Linz	18	(3)
2011–2013	KF Tirana	34	(4)
Total		380	(61)
National team
1997–1999	Albania U21	12	(1)
2001–2011	Albania	78	(6)
Teams managed
2015–2016	FK Kukësi
Honours Men's Football 1992 Barcelona Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Klodian Duro (Albanian pronunciation: [Klɔ'dian 'Duɾɔ]; born 21 December 1977) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player who is the current manager of Albanian Superliga club FK Kukësi.^[1] He was a versatile midfielder who usually played in an attacking role. His brother Albert Duro was also a footballer.^[2]

Duro played as an attacking midfielder for 11 different clubs in 5 countries during a career spanning 17 years, where he won 4 Albanian Superliga titles, 3 Albanian Cups, 3 Albanian Supercups and a Cypriot Cup. He made his senior international debut in 2001, and he earned 78 caps and scored 6 goals before retiring from international football in 2011.

He became the manager of FK Kukësi on 24 November 2015, and he won the Albanian Cup in his first season in charge, after defeating KF Laçi on penalties on 22 May 2016.

Club career

Duro started his professional career in 1996 playing for KF Elbasani. He played in Albania for KF Elbasani, KF Tirana, KS Vllaznia, KF Partizani Tirana, in Turkey with Samsunspor, Galatasaray, Malatyaspor and Çaykur Rizespor,^[3] and in German Bundesliga with Arminia Bielefeld. In the 2007–08 season, he scored 15 league goals for KF Tirana, making him the joint third top goalscorer. In June 2008, Duro transferred in Cyprus to AC Omonia Nicosia. In next season 2009–10 he played for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus and won the Cyprus Cup. After two years playing in Cyprus, Duro transferred in August 2010 to Austria. He signed a one-year contract with the Austrian Bundesliga club, LASK Linz. Duro returned to Albania in September 2011 to his former side KF Tirana for his third stint at the club. He signed a two-year contract on a free transfer with the club after agreeing terms with the club directors.^[4][5]

AC Omonia Nicosia

On 17 May 2008, Duro signed a two-year contract with Cypriot outfit AC Omonia Nicosia, a deal which should keep the Albanian international in Cyprus until 2010. Duro made his debut with the club on 17 July 2008 at home in the UEFA Cup against the Macedonian club FK Milano Kumanovo, a team with many players of Albanian descent. The game finished 2–0 to AC Omonia and Duro impressed the fans and the coach with his display that kept him on the field the entire 90 minutes of the game. In the next round of the UEFA Cup, AC Omonia travelled to Greece to play AEK Athens. Duro was on the field for more than 75 minutes in a game that produced a shock as AC Omonia beat the Greek club at their own ground by one goal. The return leg proved to be one of Duro's best ever displays in his entire career as AC Omonia took on AEK Athens at a sold-out Neo GSP Stadium. His team needed at least a draw to go through to the main competition. Duro opened the scoring with his first goal for his new club in the 11th minute, but in the 16th minute, Ismael Blanco scored the equalizer. Duro managed to score again in the 70th minute after much pressure and good play from Duro and his team. Although the game ended 2–2, AC Omonia were through to the next stage. The next round proved to be difficult as Omonia were drawn against Manchester City and their newly found billions. With stars such as Robinho and Jô, Man City were the clear favorites going into the two legs. In first leg, Duro put his side in front after 49 minutes of play. Vincent Kompany conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area and Duro stepped up to smash a shot past Joe Hart and into the top corner of the net. That was his third goal in two games for the club in the UEFA Cup. Then the Brazilian Jô scored two goals to win the game for Man City. However, Duro still managed to impress further, as he sent a shot crashing against Hart's crossbar from more than 40 yards out.

Apollon Limassol

In the summer of 2009, Duro signed a two-year contract with Apollon Limassol. He made an impressive start with the new team and had the hearts of many fans of Apollon for him. For Apollon it was the most important transfer during that season.

KF Tirana

Duro returned to Albania in September 2011 with his former side KF Tirana for his third stint at the club. He signed a two-year contract on a free transfer with the club after agreeing terms with the club directors.^[4][5]

International career

Duro had 78 appearances for the Albanian National Team and scored six goals. He scored the first goal with Albanian National Team against Russia on 16 October 2002 in a 1–4 loss of Albania in Russia. On 4 September 2004, European Champion Greece lost 2–1 to Albania at Tirana. Albanian midfielder Klodian Duro was quoted as saying, "Let the world know we're the best here," and after the match fans paraded around with banners that read "This is not Portugal," a reference to the Greeks' stunning win in Euro 2004. Against Bulgaria he scored the goal of a 1–1 draw in 2007. Duro scored against Malta twice in a 3–0 Albania win of a 2007 friendly match and in a 3–0 World Cup 2010 qualifications. He scored against Cyprus in a 6–1 win of Albania in August 2009. Duro also scored against Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team in a 1–1 draw in October 2010. Duro is considered to be one of the best players in the story of Albanian football and he is also one of the players with most appearances with the Albanian National Team.

Managerial career

On 24 November 2015, Duro was appointment the new coach of Albanian Superliga side FK Kukësi, replacing Marcelo Troisi who was sacked by the club directors due to lack of results.^[6][7] During his presentation, Duro said that the main goal of Kukësi is to qualify in European competitions for the next season.^[8]

In his first match in charge, Kukësi fall at Zeqir Ymeri Stadium to Partizani Tirana by losing 0–1.^[9][10] Duro won his match as a coach four days later, however, leading Kukësi into a 1–0 away win against Flamurtari Vlorë.^[11] He won the Albanian Cup in his first season in charge, after defeating KF Laçi on penalties on 22 May 2016 .

Career statistics

Club

As of 4 December 2015^[12][13]

National team statistics

^[14]

International goals

Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first.^[15]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	16 October 2002	Central Stadium, Volgograd, Russia	Russia	1–1	1–4	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
2	22 August 2007	Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania	Malta	3–0	3–0	Friendly match
3	10 September 2008	Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania	Malta	2–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	7 October 2010	Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

Managerial

As of 01 June 2016

Honours

Club

Tirana

• Albanian Superliga (2): 1998–99, 2006–07
• Albanian Cup (3): 1998–99, 2005–06, 2011–12
• Albanian Supercup (2): 2006, 2012

Vllaznia Shkodër

• Albanian Superliga (1): 2000–01
• Albanian Supercup (1): 2001

Apollon Limassol

• Cyprus Cup (1): 2009–10

References

External links

• Klodian Duro at National-Football-Teams.com