The two possibilities of Gjilan and Pristina for Europe

Gjilan and Prishtina have had a lot in common in the current edition of the Kosovo Super League in football. Both clubs have faced financial and organizational problems at different times. Both clubs are without a president. At least unofficially.

However, both Gjilan and Prishtina have in common the race to secure a place that guarantees participation in Europe next season. The red and blue teams have two opportunities to ensure participation in the European competitions - the fight for the third place in the championship and the one in the Kosovo Cup. Gjilan currently occupies third place in the Superliga with 40 points, while Prishtina is one position below and with two points less.

Gjilan and Prishtina have taken a big step towards the final of the Cup. Both teams have scored victories in their first semi-final matches of this competition. Both Gjilan and Prishtina beat their opponents on the road with the identical result - 2:1. Gjilan defeated Llapi in the "Zahir Pajaziti" stadium or the team that has triumphed in the cup in the last two seasons. While Prishtina defeated Vushtrri, a team competing in the First League at the "Ferki Aliu" stadium. The coach of Gjilan, Zekirija Ramadani, has said that they have strong reasons to aim for victory in the Kosovo Cup.

"As close as we are to Europe, we are just as far away, because we still have nine games left in the championship, while in the Cup there are also the semi-final second leg and the final left. We are on the right track, but until the end we will try to keep pace in the two competitions for Europe. For us, the objective is Europe, regardless of whether it comes through the championship or the Cup", Ramadani said to KOĖN. "But we want the Cup for the sole reason that the Cup trophy can be a very important factor for the president Florim Zuka to continue investing in the club next season as well. And, precisely in the Cup, we will give the last atom on the field to win it only for the president who has invested millions of euros for years now and has not won a single trophy. I think he deserved and still deserves to win a trophy. We will try to make the Cup a gift for President Florim Zuka".

In fact, Zuka was close to selling the club. But just a few months earlier, the club of Gjilan mobilized and continued the competitions in the Super League. There have been good results after the reorganization. Prishtina also started the season without financial and organizational problems. But recently, the problems, both financial and organizational, have returned. However, this has not dimmed the goals of the capital club. One of Pristina's best footballers, midfielder Endrit Krasniqi, says that it matters little from which position they will go to Europe. Important, according to him, is the appearance in the European competitions.

"I think it will be important to qualify for the European competitions. We must continue to concentrate on both fronts, because neither is safe so far. So until the end we believe that we will fight on both fronts and in the end we hope to achieve our goal. Exiting Europe is our goal", said Krasniqi.

Even Llapi wants to go to Europe. It is a little behind the third place, and it also lost the first semi-final match of the Cup against the Gjilan team. However, in Llapi, they did not give up in the race to secure Europe.