EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2016/18 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Rico Perez - Alicante Friday 6 October 2017 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Spain Group G - Matchday 9 Albania Last updated 06/10/2017 10:53CET EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS OFFICIAL SPONSORS Previous meetings 2 Squad list 3 Head coach 5 Match officials 6 Competition facts 7 Match-by-match lineups 8 Legend 11 1 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Previous meetings Head to Head FIFA World Cup Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Diego Costa 55, 09/10/2016 QR (GS) Albania - Spain 0-2 Shkoder Nolito 63 FIFA World Cup Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Salinas 4, 30, 61, 22/09/1993 QR (GS) Albania - Spain 1-5 Tirana Gomez 19, Caminero 67 Míchel 2 (P), 65, 22/04/1992 QR (GS) Spain - Albania 3-0 Seville Hierro 87 EURO '92 Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Amor 21, Muñoz 24, 65, Butragueño 31, 19/12/1990 PR (GS) Spain - Albania 9-0 Seville 57, 68, 88, Hierro 40, Bakero 76 1988 UEFA European Championship Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Bakero 6, 31, 75, 18/11/1987 PR (GS) Spain - Albania 5-0 Seville Míchel 37 (P), Llorente 64 Muca 27; Arteche 67, 03/12/1986 PR (GS) Albania - Spain 1-2 Tirana Alonso 84 Final Qualifying Total tournament Home Away Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA Total Spain 3 3 0 0 3 3 0 0 - - - - 6 6 0 0 26 2 Albania 3 0 0 3 3 0 0 3 - - - - 6 0 0 6 2 26 2 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Squad list Spain Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Pepe Reina 31/08/1982 35 Napoli - 0 0 0 0 Man. - David de Gea 07/11/1990 26 - 8 0 0 0 United - Kepa Arrizabalaga 03/10/1994 23 Athletic - 0 0 0 0 Defenders - Gerard Piqué 02/02/1987 30 Barcelona * 7 0 0 0 Real - Sergio Ramos 30/03/1986 31 * 7 1 0 0 Madrid - Nacho Monreal 26/02/1986 31 Arsenal - 3 1 0 0 - César Azpilicueta 28/08/1989 28 Chelsea - 0 0 0 0 Real - Nacho 18/01/1990 27 - 3 0 0 0 Madrid - Jordi Alba 21/03/1989 28 Barcelona * 5 0 0 0 Real - Álvaro Odriozola 14/12/1995 21 - 0 0 0 0 Sociedad Midfielders - David Silva 08/01/1986 31 Man. City * 8 5 0 0 Real - Asier Illarramendi 08/03/1990 27 - 0 0 0 0 Sociedad - Thiago Alcántara 11/04/1991 26 Bayern * 7 0 0 0 - Koke 08/01/1992 25 Atlético - 7 0 0 0 - Pedro Rodríguez 28/07/1987 30 Chelsea - 2 0 0 0 - Saúl Ñíguez 21/11/1994 22 Atlético - 2 0 0 0 Real - Isco 21/04/1992 25 - 6 4 0 0 Madrid Real - Marco Asensio 21/01/1996 21 - 2 0 0 0 Madrid Forwards - Iago Aspas 01/08/1987 30 Celta - 2 2 0 0 - José Callejón 11/02/1987 30 Napoli - 1 0 0 0 - Rodrigo 06/03/1991 26 Valencia - 0 0 0 0 - Aritz Aduriz 11/02/1981 36 Athletic - 1 1 0 0 Las - Jonathan Viera 21/10/1989 27 - 0 0 0 0 Palmas Coach - Julen Lopetegui 28/08/1966 51 - 8 0 0 0 3 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Albania Current season Qual. FT No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Alban Hoxha 23/11/1987 29 Partizani - 1 0 0 0 - Ehea Koliçi 13/02/1986 31 Iraklis - 0 0 0 0 - Etrit Berisha 01/03/1989 28 Atalanta - 6 0 0 0 Defenders - Ansi Agolli 11/10/1982 34 Qarabağ - 6 1 0 0 - Andi Lila 12/02/1986 31 Giannina * 5 0 0 0 - Frédéric Veseli 20/11/1992 24 Empoli * 2 0 0 0 - Arlind Ajeti 25/09/1993 24 Crotone - 3 0 0 0 - Elseid Hysaj 02/02/1994 23 Napoli - 8 0 0 0 - Berat Xhimshiti 19/02/1993 24 Benevento - 5 0 0 0 - Iván Balliu 01/01/1992 25 Metz - 0 0 0 0 - Azdren Llullaku 15/02/1988 29 Tobol * 4 0 0 0 Hajduk - Hysen Memolla 03/07/1992 25 - 1 0 0 0 Split Midfielders - Migjen Basha 05/01/1987 30 Bari 1908 * 5 0 0 0 - Taulant Xhaka 28/03/1991 26 Basel * 3 0 0 0 - Ermir Lenjani 05/08/1989 28 Sion - 1 0 0 0 - Ergys Kaçe 08/07/1993 24 PAOK - 0 0 0 0 - Ledian Memushaj 07/12/1986 30 Pescara * 7 1 0 0 - Valon Ahmedi 07/10/1994 22 Maribor - 1 0 0 0 Puskás - Liridon Latifi 06/02/1994 23 - 1 0 0 0 Akadémia - Emanuele Ndoj 20/11/1996 20 Brescia - 0 0 0 0 Forwards - Armando Sadiku 27/05/1991 26 Legia - 4 3 0 0 - Eros Grezda 15/04/1995 22 Osijek - 2 0 0 0 Coach - Christian Panucci 12/04/1973 44 - 1 0 0 0 4 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Head coach Julen Lopetegui Date of birth: 28 August 1966 Nationality: Spanish Playing career: San Sebastián CF, Castilla CF, UD Las Palmas, Real Madrid CF, CD Logroñés, FC Barcelona, Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, Spain Coaching career: Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, Real Madrid Castilla, Spain Under-19s, Spain Under-20s, Spain Under- 21s, FC Porto, Spain • Lopetegui's promising goalkeeping performances for Real Sociedad de Fútbol's youth sides led to a move to Real Madrid. The Basque native progressed into the senior squad, but, starved of opportunities, switched to Logroñes, where he made 107 Spanish top-flight appearances over three seasons. • Those displays earned a move to Barcelona but again he found playing time limited, prompting a transfer to Rayo Vallecano, where he featured 112 times until retirement in 2002. He earned one senior international cap and was part of Spain's 1994 FIFA World Cup squad. • Started his coaching career in 2003/04, at second division Rayo, but the experience was short-lived – he was dismissed after ten games. After five years away from the bench he returned to active duty in 2008/09, with Real Madrid Castilla, ending the campaign in sixth place. • In 2010 Lopetegui joined the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and led the U19s to the European title two years later before reaching the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2013. He had assumed control of the U21s in August 2012 and guided the holders to the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, winning the title in Israel. • On 6 May 2014, he returned to club duties with Porto but failed to win any silverware with the club and left his post in January 2016. Appointed Vicente del Bosque's successor as Spain coach in July that year. Christian Panucci Date of birth: 12 April 1973 Nationality: Italian Playing career: Genoa CFC, AC Milan, Real Madrid CF, FC Internazionale Milano, Chelsea FC (loan), AS Monaco FC, AS Roma, Parma FC Coaching career: Russia (assistant), AS Livorno Calcio, Ternana Calcio, Albania • Having risen through the ranks at Genoa, Panucci spent three seasons in the first team before leaving for Milan in 1993, winning the Scudetto and UEFA Champions League in his first season. • A right-back who could cover in central defence, a second Serie A title with Milan followed in 1996. Panucci moved to Real Madrid midway through 1996/97, becoming first Italian to play for Spanish giants, winning another league title that season and the UEFA Champions League again in 1998. • Short spells at Inter, Chelsea and Monaco preceded his 2001 move to Roma, for whom he would make more than 250 appearances over the next eight years, winning the Coppa Italia twice. He hung up his boots in 2010 after a year with Parma. • Twice a UEFA European Under-21 Championship winner with Italy, Panucci won only 57 caps in a senior career spanning 15 years. Made his major tournament bow at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and scored the goal against Scotland that took Italy to UEFA EURO 2008. • Worked as Fabio Capello's assistant coach with Russia before striking out on his own; had short spells in charge of Livorno and Ternana before being appointed to succeed fellow Italian Gianni De Biasi as Albania coach in July 2017. 5 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Match officials Referee Aleksei Eskov (RUS) Assistant referees Dmitri Mosyakin (RUS) , Igor Demeshko (RUS) Fourth official Kirill Levnikov (RUS) FIFA Match Commissioner Duncan Fraser (SCO) Referee observer Nuno Castro (POR) Referee Name Date of birth UEFA matches Aleksei Eskov 07/09/1978 2 32 FIFA Wold Cup matches involving teams from the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed Other matches involving teams from either of the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed 6 Spain - Albania Friday 6 October 2017 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Rico Perez, Alicante Competition facts The Week of Football concept enables fans around the world to enjoy the very best action from the European Qualifiers – which will determine UEFA's representatives at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.