De Biasi names 23-man Albania squad for Euro 2016

Tirana (AFP) – Albania coach Gianni de Biasi on Tuesday named a 23-man squad for next month’s Euro 2016 in France, led by Nantes’ defender Lorik Cana.

This will be Albania’s first appearance in the European championships in which they are drawn in Group A alongside hosts France, Romania and Switzerland.

De Biasi’s side open their campaign on June 11 against Switzerland in Lens, before playing France on June 15 in Marseille and Romania on June 19 in Lyon.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Etrit Berisha (Lazio/ITA), Alban Hoxha(Partizani Tirana), Orges Shehi (Skenderbeu Korce)

Defenders: Arlind Ajeti (Frosinone/ITA), Naser Aliji (Basel/SUI), Mergim Mavraj (Cologne/GER), Lorik Cana (Nantes/FRA), Elseid Hysaj (Napoli/ITA), Ansi Agolli (Qarabag/AZE), Frederic Veseli (Lugano/SUI)

Midfielders: Ledian Memushaj (Pescara/ITA), Ergys Kace (PAOK/GRE), Andi Lila (PAS Giannina/GRE), Migjen Basha (Como/ITA), Odise Roshi (Rijeka/CRO), Burim Kukeli (FC Zurich/SUI), Ermir Lenjani (Nantes/FRA), Taulant Xhaka (Basel/SUI), Amir Abrashi (Freiburg/GER)

Forwards: Bekim Bala (Rijeka/CRO), Sokol Cikalleshi (Istanbul BB/TUR), Armando Sadiku (Vaduz/LIE), Shkelzen Gashi (Colorado Rapids/USA)