Lorenc Leskaj
{{short description|Albanian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lorenc Leskaj
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|10|2}}
| image =
| image_size = 300px
| birth_place = Tirana, Albania
| height = {{Height|m=1.78|precision=0}}
| position = Defender
| years1 = 1986–1991 | clubs1 = Partizani Tirana
| nationalyears1 = 1990
| nationalteam1 = Albania
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
Lorenc Leskaj (born 2 October 1968) is an Albanian retired footballer who played as a defender for Partizani Tirana.
Club career
Leskaj played for Partizani Tirana in an infamous September 1987 European Cup first leg in Lisbon against Benfica that saw Partizani lose 4–0 and end the game with 7 men as 4 players were sent off and with Leskaj himself getting a yellow card.[http://www.telegraf.rs/sport/fudbal/2959909-albanski-klub-jedini-uspeo-da-zaradi-4-crvena-kartona-za-poluvreme-najprljaviji-mecevi-u-istoriji-kupa-i-lige-sampiona-video Albanski klub jedini uspeo da zaradi 4 crvena kartona za poluvreme: Najprljaviji mečevi u istoriji Kupa i Lige šampiona (VIDEO)] - Telegraf {{in lang|sq}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/4034--benfica-vs-partizani/|title=UEFA Champions League 1987/88 - History - Benfica-Partizani Lineups – UEFA.com|last=uefa.com|publisher=}} Partizani were punished by UEFA for the incidents, and they were knocked out of the competition following a walkover victory for Benfica in what would have been the second leg, and they were also banned from Europe for 4 years.
International career
He made his debut for Albania in a September 1990 friendly match against Greece and earned a total of 2 caps, scoring no goals.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=12082|title=Player Database}}
His second and final international was a November 1990 European Championship qualification match against France.[https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1992/matches/round=218/match=2908/index.html Report] - UEFA
=Defection=
Leskaj, alongside national team members Genc Ibro and Eduard Kaçaçi, disappeared from the national team squad in March 1991 in Geneva on their way to Paris to play a European Championship qualifier against France.[https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-53262 SE PERDIERON 3 JUGADORES] - El Tiempo {{in lang|es}} At the time, Albania was still ruled by the communists. The players were later reported to have sought asylum in Switzerland.[http://www.arkivalajmeve.com/Kuzhe-therret-23lojtare-kunder-Frances.1047114365/ Kuzhe therret 23lojtare kunder Frances] - Info Arkiva {{in lang|sq}}
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|25234}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leskaj, Lorenc}}
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Albanian men's footballers
Category:Albania men's international footballers
Category:FK Partizani Tirana players
Category:Kategoria Superiore players
Category:20th-century Albanian sportsmen
{{Albania-footy-defender-stub}}