Artur Lekbello, the Hero of “Camp Nou” Stadium!
Artur Lekbello was the one who didn’t allow Lineker’s Barcelona to score even once on the goal of a Flamurtari that surprised everyone in Barcelona at the “Camp Nou” stadium.
Only 0 – 0 !!
It was Wednesday evening in Barcelona, October 1, 1986, the return match, of UEFA Cup, even with a radio broadcast by the journalist Ahmet Shqarri, who described the heroic attitude of our Flamurtari team and the interventions of the goalkeeper Lekbello.
He was born on January 25, 1958 in Lezhe. By profession, he is a major officer of a tank brigade, when he entered the “Skenderbej” military school in 1971.
Artur was active with the youth of Partizan team for 4 seasons (1974-1978) where he was involved with the help of the “Stars” of the national football, the “bomber” Refik Resmja and Iliaz Dingu. .
Artur was a talent discovered to have an extraordinary ability as a goalkeeper, from where the legendary team “Partizani” did not hesitate to put him in the first team.
In 1978, 17-year-old Lekbello, (together with Musta), was transferred to the first Partizani team as a goalkeeper, initially replacing J. Kaci and Muhedini (the latter left the team for political reasons, as Balluk’s son-in-law).
During this time, Lekbello will play some matches as the first goalkeeper (after the injury of Musta). With Partizan he will win 2 championship titles and 2 Cups of the Republic.
In 1985, after 10 seasons at Partizan, in the 1985-86 season he will defend the goal of Lokomotiva Durres, and precisely here he receives the telegram that he, Artur Lekbello, has been called to defend the goal of Flamurtari against Lineker’s great Barcelona, Zubizarreta , Julio Alberto, Mark Hughes, the team from which was managed by the great Terry Venables.
A big responsibility, but one that Lekbello passes with an excellent performance. the following comment best proves the form of our goalkeeper “Este senor tan simpatico ed Letbello, ‘el Capo de Albania’ (This charming gentleman is Lekbello, the boss of Albania)”.
Then with the National Team, in 1987, there would be two consecutive meetings: in Vlora on October 28 against Romania (1-0 for the Romanians) and after a month in Spain 0-5.
For Lekbello, it would be the second time in the space of a year that he would return to Spain. It was the period when he would become a father.
In 1991, when he left Lokomotiva, Lekbello was thought to end his career, but it did not happen that way. After the departure of the legend Perlat Musta from Partizan to Romania, the leaders of the Reds have called Artur to defend the goal of Partizan this time who had to face “Feyenoord” in the Champions Cup (0-0 in Tirana and 0-1 in the Netherlands).
Here is another personal satisfaction for the one who, at the age of 36, ends his career where he started (1975-1992).
After a 15-year career, he deservedly holds the titles “Master of Sports”, “Deserved Master of Sports”, “Honor of Albanian Football” and “Honorary Citizen” of Durrës.
Winner of championship titles: 1979 / 1981 / 1985 / 1989
Republic Cup: 1980 / 1986
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