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Absence confirmed, Silvinjo loses starting spot for two March matches

2025-02-24 19:33:00, Sport CNA

The Albanian national team has received some bad news on the eve of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Elseid Hysaj will not be available for the first two matches of the qualifiers. The Shkodran defender, who has been a key part of coach Silvinjo's formation, has not managed to fully recover from the injury suffered in early February and will be out for the challenges against England and Andorra.

According to reports from Italy, Hysaj's injury is more serious than initially thought. Lazio, the club where he plays, has decided not to risk his premature return to the field, ruling out the possibility of him playing for the Albanian national team in the matches in March. According to the medical staff of the capital, the 31-year-old needs more time to recover, and for this reason he will not start training until the end of March. This means that he will not be ready to travel with the national team and will miss the important matches against England and Andorra.

A significant absence for coach Silvinho, who has had him as a regular starter in the lineup. His experience and defensive stability are very important for the team, especially against strong opponents like England.

In Hysaj's absence, the only natural alternative at right-back is Ivan Balliu. Although Balliu has shown good performances whenever he has been given the chance, the lack of other options could limit Silvinho's flexibility, especially if he needs to make changes during the game. This situation could force the coach to experiment with other players or make tactical changes to compensate for Hysaj's absence.

Albania will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with an extremely difficult match against England at Wembley on March 21. The Three Lions are one of the strongest teams in the world, and Albania will need a solid defense and excellent organization to cope with England's stars.

Three days later, on March 24, the Rossoneri will host Andorra at the "National Arena" in a match where Albania is the clear favorite.

For Silvinho and his coaching staff, the challenge now is to find a credible alternative to cover for Hysaj's absence. With Balli as the main option, the coach can experiment with other players in defense if he wants to change the tactical scheme. Another option could be to use a three-man defense, avoiding the need for a natural right-back.