There are few footballers in this world who identify with their club as much as GC captain Amir Abrashi does. blue Sport presents you with an emotional best-of Amir Abrashi.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- After a difficult pre-season, GC's start to the season has been a complete failure. 9 points from 12 games is the weakest points haul in the Super League - only in 2010/11 did GC collect so few points.
- GC captain Amir Abrashi is also suspended on Thursday. He is watching the game from the fans' stands and is ready for a video call with blue Sport during the half-time break.
- A great move by a true club icon. Amir Abrashi has already provided many unforgettable moments. blue Sport presents a best-of Amir Abrashi.
In the current Super League season, no player has committed as many fouls as GC captain Amir Abrashi. He has already stopped an opponent 21 times by illegal means. He picked up his fourth yellow card in last Saturday's 3-0 defeat against Lausanne-Sport and will therefore miss Thursday evening's draw against Lugano(video highlights).
And yet the veteran is in the thick of it instead of just being there - in the GC fan curve. During the half-time break, blue Sport presenter Gianni Wyler pulls out his phone in the studio and calls the suspended leader. Abrashi takes the video call and raves about the great atmosphere in the fan block. The fact that the Hoppers are leading 1:0 at the break puts a big smile on Abrashi's face anyway (see video above). After the short break, the 34-year-old mingles with the crowd again and loudly sings along to the fan songs. Other professionals would instead make themselves comfortable in the box and at most wave to the audience if they were caught on camera. But that wouldn't be at all Abrashi-like, because this man lives and breathes football and GC means the world to him.
It pains Abrashi that the Hoppers have had a completely unsuccessful start to the season after a difficult pre-season. 9 points from 12 games is the weakest points haul in the Super League - only in 2010/11 did GC collect so few points. Back then, however, the Zurich club managed to avoid relegation with ease. GC finished the 2010/11 season in 7th place in the then ten-team league, ten points ahead of relegated St. Gallen and nine ahead of Bellinzona, who were then defeated by Servette in the barrage and were also relegated to the Challenge League.
On Sunday, GC continue their campaign away at Luzern (16:30 live on blue Sport). By then, the captain should be back on the pitch. And now, clear the stage for the best of Amir Abrashi.
Best of Amir Abrashi
July 27, 2024: Abrashi lashes out at his teammates
On July 27, GC leads 2:1 against Luzern in the 2nd round of the Super League. In the 72nd minute, Marco Schällibaum, who has since been counted out, replaces Abrashi, Muci and Schürpf. Captain Abrashi doesn't play the offended liver sausage, however, but gets the three substitutes really fired up. It did little good, however, and in the 85th minute Thibault Klidjé scored to make the final score 2:2. Perhaps Abrashi would have done his team more good on the pitch than as a motivator off it.
May 31, 2024: Abrashi's outcry after not being relegated
Last season, GC averted relegation to the Challenge League in extremis. There was no stopping Abrashi afterwards. The interview is legendary and also goes viral on social media.
April 20, 2024: "This is madness - it's crazy"
GC is in a relegation battle and needs every point, but loses 0:1 against Servette. The goal conceded in the 3rd minute: "That's madness. That's blatant. Even against Lugano, you always go behind at the start. We weren't focused enough at the start. [...] That simply mustn't happen to us in the next few games, otherwise it will be incredibly difficult to win games like this in the Super League." The video may not be a viral hit, but it shows what makes the captain tick and what he expects of himself and his team-mates.
April 5, 2024: Abrashi gives a fiery speech
GC loses 3-0 away at eventual champions YB, with the final score clear after just 21 minutes. After the game, Abrashi rallies the team and rallies them with an emotional speech. Exactly what you want from a captain.
January 28, 2024: Abrashi on the importance of the Zurich derby
The Zurich derby in the Super League will take place on January 28, 2024. It will be Abrashi's 23rd match against FCZ. For him, however, the derby will always be something very special - it's not like any other game. He talks to blue Sport in the days leading up to the clash and shares some anecdotes.
GC wins the game 2-1 after trailing 1-0 at the break thanks to a goal in the 5th minute of stoppage time. Naturally, this triggers feelings of happiness for Abrashi.
September 2, 2023: "I'm ashamed"
GC loses 2-1 away to Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy, who were later relegated. After the defeat, Abrashi talks for a long time with the GC fans who had traveled with him and were disappointed with the performance. Can he understand the frustration? "One hundred percent, no question. They travel so many kilometers. They come here from Zurich and everywhere else to support us. They sacrifice the whole weekend and we put on a match like this. I'm ashamed right now and it hurts me incredibly. Because we gave them the two goals, you can't make it any easier for them."
May 13, 2023: "I can celebrate today"
On May 13, 2023, Amir Abrashi makes his 200th appearance for GC and is allowed to give an interview after a 2-0 win, with a good mood written all over his face. "I can celebrate today. A great win, 200 games for my favorite club, what could be better?"
February 16, 2023: "Amir is a role model for everyone"
In January 2023, GC extends Amir Abrashi's contract by a further year. This was despite the fact that Abrashi was repeatedly set back by injuries in the pre-season and therefore did not always deliver his best performance on the pitch. The then GC sporting director Bernt Haas, who had to leave his post in March of this year, explained a short time later in the football talk show Heimspiel why they still wanted to extend Abrashi's contract: "If GC loses, Amir can't sleep for three days. [...] He is an important mouthpiece, an important person in the team who can also lead them and go ahead. [...] He really is a role model for everyone. And I think that's the kind of person a team needs. And that's why we decided to extend his contract."
