We and Germany Part 6 / #1!

22 March 2021

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#VizionSportivOraKampioneve (part 6 / #1) Again in the same group It is no longer surprising that the draw of the eliminators in football often makes children capricious. In the case of the National Football Team, an invisible hand often ranks the opponents according to crazy wishes! The 8-0 defeat by West Germany in Dortmund, of course, was deeply rooted in the thoughts of every Albanian football fan. It was a historical point that made you feel bad, reflect, seek revenge but…for the latter, in fact, everyone thought again and agreed to avoid it! While in the 1971 match West Germany had just been on the way to the titles of European Champion 1972 and World Champion 1974, this Germany of 1983 had consolidated as the European Champion and World Runner-up team in just two years. Who did you mention before from its players? Harald Shumaker was the best goalkeeper in the world but also the "beast" of the "Night of Seville" where he almost killed Patrick Batiston during the semi-final drama against France! Then, the German "Tanks" Horst Peter Bruegel! Shtilike, Hans Müller, the two Fërster brothers, the "artist" Pierre Litbarski and above all the best striker in the world, Karl Heinz Rumenige! Even the two later German stars Rudi Fëler and Lottar Mathaus would also be on the field against Albania. This team, one of the most famous in the history of German football, not without right, from the appearance and physical data, is personified as a "cast suitable for movies with Chuck Norris"! It's not like we didn't know them. Two games against them, two years ago. Ten goals conceded and none scored! It was the bitter end in football of the great Loro Boriçi, but also of the players of the generation of the 70s, Ilir Përnaska, Safet Berisha, Kastriot Hysi, Kujtim Çoçoli, Sefedin Braho, Shyqyri Ballgjini, etc. Albania, as the hour demanded, was being renewed. There were enough younger players of a very good level. Later, the generation of Shpresa teams was bringing another wave which after a year would raise the level of club football like never before. Coaches Shyqyri Rreli and Ramazan Rragami were taking responsibility to create a national team with a level for the decade of the 80s. This was not impossible, and it was felt that something good was coming. The big turn in international presence and this, let it start from the most difficult possible opponent in Europe. West Germany! And why not? Judging today, it is easy to conclude that the consequences of a ten-year absence in international matches, coupled with the classification of football at the semi-amateur level and the disallowance of the sale of players, all three together, would prevent Albania from having hopes for great things. It was the misfortune of a generation which, even though it gave us many emotions of great success, even though it could have changed the entire history of Albanian football, through no fault of its own, could not do it. Climate before the match They say that the biggest surprise lasts three days. So, after the Dortmund match, the irritation shortly after, took the place of the roars. Also, after the draw was announced, the surprise soon turned into humor. In that beautiful world of football fans, as always, humor had its place of honor. A few days after the announcement of the draw, which put us back in the group with West Germany, the epic comment of the Shkodrans began to spread everywhere – "The Germans have taken it upon themselves to teach us football"! Well, football and the whole beautiful world of that decade, without the Shkodër factor, would simply be a gloomy poverty! In fact, the truth was that we had nothing to lose. After all, playing against Germany, you never lose – only win! The pressure was on them. This fact alone is enough to give you wings and play football to enjoy it. The pearl. Two games, three goalkeepers, ten goals conceded! At the end of it all, no one is more injured than Perlati! The Vlonjat phenomenon, eternal symbol of Partizan's goal, although he was a big name since the end of the 70s, in fact, he was still young. On that fateful evening in Dortmund in 1981, Perlat Musta was only 23 years old. Even today, it is fast for a goalkeeper to be the goalkeeper of the national team at this age and technically, a goalkeeper is still not considered fully mature at this age. Perlati was simply a phenomenon and as such, very quickly won his place in Partizan, the National team "Shpresa" as well as in the National team, leaving behind names like Jani Kaçi, Ilir Luarasi or Artur Lekbello. Precisely for all these, it was completely unfair what Dortmund's night had in store for them. Well, if anyone wanted a rematch, Perlat Musta was the first! Partizan's Vlonjati was not just that good goalkeeper of a champion team of a small country. On the contrary! Perlati was a "fuori class" of the same level as the biggest! He would tell this soon… March 29. It's sunny but not exactly spring time. Spring was a little late that year. Even though it's sunny, people still walk around in winter clothes. Franz Beckenbauer enjoys the beautiful weather. He no longer has the obligations of a German national team player, this is easily noticeable in his clothing. So, with jeans, sneakers and a winter jacket, a walk along the boulevard of Tirana goes. It's almost empty! It seems that the entire boulevard is his! In fact, people work. In socialist Albania, unemployment is punished by the constitution! A little later, it is located at the Qemal Stafa stadium. Now, it is bigger as a stadium than the one of 12 years ago, but completely deaf compared to then. He talks a little with trainer Jup Derwall, there is also time for a joke with Rumenigen. It is so quiet that their voices can be clearly heard all the way from the stairs! There are no "curios" in the stadium and precisely because of this, the Qemal Stafa stadium resembles a giant sports facility! In Tirana, everywhere, between work centers and schools, the order from "above" was cut off. No one in the stadium to follow the training of the Germans. It is the socialist Albania of 1983 … continued by Arian Muraj Sports Vision / Hour of Champions – March 2021