Ardon Jashari was part of Yakin's European Championship squad in the summer and took the risk of moving abroad from Lucerne. Jashari talks to blue Sport about his new role in Belgium and the upcoming games with the U21 national team.
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- After being part of the senior team at the European Championships, Ardon Jashari will be playing for the U21s in September. "It's important for me to get playing minutes here," Jashari tells blue Sport.
- Jashari moved from FC Lucerne to Club Brugge in the summer. "A big move," says the midfielder. The club expects a lot from him.
- Jashari will face Albania with the U21s in the European Championship qualifiers. The national team is still unbeaten, but Jashari doesn't want to let that blind him. "We haven't achieved anything yet." Focus and intensity are needed for a win.
Ardon Jashari is aiming for a ticket to the 2025 European Championship in Slovakia with the U21 national team. The team is still unbeaten in the European Championship qualifiers, with two of the last four games coming up in September. Jashari talks to blue Sport about his role with the U21s and the move to his new club, Club Brugge.
You were still part of the senior team at the European Championships, now you're in the U21s. How did you take this and is it understandable for you?
Ardon Jashari: I had a very good exchange with Murat Yakin. It's understandable for me after my move to Belgium. It's important for me that I now get playing minutes in the U21s. I have a very important role to play.
What role do you play in the U21s?
My role is the same as I had in Switzerland, at FC Luzern. In other words, a leading role in which I want to take on responsibility. I want to get the whole team involved, even those players who play less. We want to be successful. Of course, I have to show my qualities on and off the pitch.
Unfortunately, you didn't get to play at the European Championships. What can you still take away from the tournament?
Of course I would have been happy to have played a minute or two, but you can only benefit from tournaments like this - whether you play or not. I was able to feel what a tournament like this is like and how it works. As a young player, it's a huge experience. I was also able to learn a lot from other players. The European Championship was a dream come true.
You changed clubs in the summer. You left Lucerne for Belgium. How are you doing at Club Brugge?
It was a difficult start, not individually, but as a team. We only picked up one point in our first three league games. That's below the club's expectations. Apart from that, I'm doing well. The move from Lucerne to Bruges was a big one. I'm not yet ready to play from the start. Now I have to be patient and keep working hard. The club expects a lot from me.
What makes the Belgian league different from the Super League?
The football is faster and more physical. You always have to go full throttle. We were already leading 2-0 with Brugge and then scored three goals in the closing stages.
How have you settled into life in Belgium?
Very, very well. I live in a very nice place just outside Bruges. I am positively surprised by the country and the people. Of course it's not easy at the beginning in a new environment. I'm on my own, but week by week I feel more comfortable and more at home.
You now have the European Championship qualifier against Albania ahead of you with the U21 team. What will it take to win?
Concentration and intensity. Even though we're unbeaten, we haven't achieved anything yet. We played in Albania, we know what the Albanians can do. We start from scratch on Friday. We have to be aware that we have to win these games to qualify for the European Championship. We can't hope that other teams in the group will lose points. The focus is on us.
