Klodian Duro

Klodian Duro

Personal information
Full name	Klodian Duro
Date of birth	21 December 1977 (1977-12-21)
Place of birth	Tirana, Albania
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Attacking Midfielder
Club information
Current club	KF Tirana
Number	21
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–1998	KS Elbasani	44	(7)
1998–1999	KF Tirana	27	(1)
1999	KS Elbasani	11	(0)
2000–2001	Vllaznia Shkodër	44	(8)
2002	Samsunspor	9	(0)
2002–2003	Galatasaray	0	(0)
2002–2003	Malatyaspor	18	(3)
2003	KF Partizani Tirana	11	(3)
2004	Caykur 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	25	(2)
2010–2011	LASK Linz	18	(3)
2011–	KF Tirana	9	(1)
National team‡
2001–	Albania	78	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 May 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 October 2010

Klodian Duro (born 21 December 1977) is an Albanian footballer who plays for KF Tirana in the Albanian Superliga as well as the Albania national team since making his debut in 1999. He is a versatile midfielder who usually plays in an attacking role.

Club career

Klodian Duro started his professional carrier 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, 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 played in Cyprus, Klodian Duro in August 2010 transferred in Austria. He signed a one year contract with the Austrian Bundesliga club, LASK Linz.

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^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} 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^{[citation needed]}, 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 a 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.

International career

Klodian Duro has 78 appearances for the Albanian National Team and has scored 6 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. Klodian 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.

National team statistics

Albania national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2001	1	0
2002	8	1
2003	11	0
2004	7	0
2005	6	0
2006	4	0
2007	11	2
2008	7	1
2009	8	1
2010	9	1
2011	6	0
Total	78	6

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	16 October 2002	Volgograd	Russia	4–1	Lost	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
2	22 August 2007	Tirana	Malta	3–0	Win	Friendly
3	17 October 2007	Tirana	Bulgaria	1–1	Draw	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
4	10 September 2008	Tirana	Malta	3–0	Win	World Cup 2010
5	12 August 2009	Tirana	Cyprus	6–1	Win	Friendly
6	7 October 2010	Tirana	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–1	Draw	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

Competition Stats

Competition	Matches	Start	Minutes	Goals
Champions League	6	6	540	3
UEFA Cup	12	12	1020	5
World Cup Qualification	25	23	2217	1
Euro Qualification	29	24	2529	3
Friendlies	23	20	1815	2

Honours

Tirana

• Albanian Superliga (2): 1998–99, 2006–07
• Albanian Cup (2): 1998–99,2005–06
• Albanian Supercup (1): 2005–06

Vllaznia

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

Apollon Limassol

• Cyprus Cup (1): 2009–10

External links

• Klodian Duro at National-Football-Teams.com