Isnik Alimi

Isnik Alimi (Macedonian: Исник Алими; born 2 February 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Romanian Liga I side Sepsi OSK. A former international for Macedonia U19, he played for the Albania U21 in a pair of friendlies before switching back to play for the North Macedonia national team in 2023.[2]

Isnik Alimi
Personal information
Full name Isnik Alimi[1]
Date of birth (1994-02-02) 2 February 1994
Place of birth Delogoždi, Macedonia
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sepsi OSK
Number 21
Youth career
2001–2010 Vllaznimi Struga
2010–2011 Ohrid
2013–2014 Chievo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Ohrid 14 (2)
2012–2013 Novigrad 4 (2)
2014–2015 Chievo 0 (0)
2014–2015 → Lumezzane (loan) 26 (2)
2015–2021 Atalanta 0 (0)
2015–2016 → Maceratese (loan) 13 (0)
2016–2017 → Forlì (loan) 29 (0)
2017–2018 → Vicenza (loan) 30 (1)
2018–2019 → Rimini (loan) 31 (0)
2019–2020 → Imolese (loan) 23 (0)
2020–2021 → Šibenik (loan) 24 (0)
2021–2023 Gabala 61 (17)
2023– Sepsi OSK 12 (4)
International career‡
2011–2012 Macedonia U19 6 (2)
2014–2016 Albania U21 6 (0)
2023– North Macedonia 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 October 2023

Club career

Early career - FK Ohrid

Born in Delogoždi (Albanian: Dollogozhda) a village based in Struga Municipality, Alimi started his youth career aged 7 with Macedonian side Vllaznimi Struga.[3] In 2010, he moved at FK Ohrid and in 2011 he was promoted to the first team. On 30 July 2011 Alimi made it his debut with the first team coming as a substitute in place of Aleksandar Dalčeski in second-half's start of the match finished in a 2–0 away loss against Renova for the Macedonian First League championship.[4]

Chievo

In 2013, he moved abroad for the first time joining Serie A side Chievo. He stood for a year season with Primavera team.

With Primvaera team he won Italian Superleague, he score a goal against Juventus in the first game, also mark the goal against Fiorentina in the semifinals, he helped lead his team to winning the championship because Isnik Alimi was the team captain and key player. He had 21 matches and 10 goals with Primavera team.

Loan to Lumezzane

On 6 August 2014 the Lega Pro Prima Divisione side A.C. Lumezzane, announced to have signed Alimi from Chievo on loan mode.[5]

He made it his professional debut on 31 August 2014, playing as a starter in the opening match of the Lega Pro against Pordenone, finished in the clean 2–0 victory.[6]

He finished his first half of the season with Lumezzane with 12 Appearances, 8 as a starter and 4 coming on as a substitute.

Alimi scored his first goal for Lumezzane in the opening match of the year 2015 against Novara valid for the 19th game week, played on 6 January and finished in the away 1–3 victory, in where Alimi scored the second goal for 0–2 result in the 45th minute in the end of first half.[7]

Alimi concluded the 2014–15 season making in total 27 appearances, from where 21 in the starting line up, scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists.

Atalanta

After 1-year loaned to Lumezzane, Alimi got returned to Chievo, but on 26 June 2015 he signed with the fellow Serie A team Atalanta B.C. a 4-years contract.[8]

Loan to Maceratese

In the closing day of the 2015 Summer Transfers Window Alimi got loaned out to the Lega Pro just promoted side S.S. Maceratese 1922.[9]

Loan to Vicenza

In the 2017 Summer Transfers Window, Alimi was loaned out for the third time to Lega Pro at Vicenza.[10]

Loan to Imolese

On 9 August 2019, he joined Serie C club Imolese on a season-long loan.[11]

Loan to Šibenik

On 18 September 2020, Alimi joined Croatian First Football League club HNK Šibenik on a season-long loan.[12]

Gabala

On 30 July 2021, Alimi signed a one-year contract with Gabala.[13] On 22 May 2022, Gabala announced that Alimi had signed a new one-year contract with the club.[14]

International career

Albania

Having played for Macedonia U19, Alimi was called up highery from Macedonia national under-21 football team for the friendly match against Israel on 13 August 2014, but he refused the invitation as he wanted to play for Albania instead at international level due to his ethnicity.[15][16] On 24 September 2014 proceedings were begun to give him the Albanian passport to be eligible to play for Albania at an international level.[17] He received his first call up for Albania by Skënder Gega, the Albania national under-21 football team coach for the Friendly match against Romania U21 on 8 October 2014.[18]

He made his debut for Albania U21 in the Friendly match against Romania U21 on 8 October 2014 by playing as a starter in a 3–1 loss, where he started his team's first attempt to the goal of in the 11th minute by running from the midfield and shooting as soon as he got close to the 16-meters area, a shot which was put by the Romania U21s' goalkeeper in the corner kick.[19]

Alimi was called up for the first time to participate in a competitive match, the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification opening match against Liechtenstein U21 on 28 March 2015,[20] however, Alimi failed to play in this match as he was ineligible due to the absence of respective documents.

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 23 October 2023[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other[lower-alpha 1], [lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ohrid 2011–12 1. MFL 14200--142
Novigrad 2012–13 2. NL 4200--42
Lumezzane (loan) 2014–15 Lega Pro 26221-10293
Maceratese (loan) 2015–16 13000--130
Forlì (loan) 2016–17 29000-21311
Vicenza (loan) 2017–18 Serie C 30130-21352
Rimini (loan) 2018–19 31020-21351
Imolese (loan) 2019–20 23031-20281
Šibenik (loan) 2020–21 HNL 24020--260
Gabala 2021–22 Azerbaijan Premier League 27852--3210
2022–23 349532[lower-alpha 3]0-4112
Total 611710520-7322
Sepsi OSK 2023–24 Liga I 124106300197
Career total 26728237839330741
  1. Appearances in Serie C-Relegation play-offs
  2. Appearances in Supercupa României
  3. Appearances and goals in the UEFA Europa Conference League

International
As of match played 17 October 2023 [22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
North Macedonia
202330
Total30

Honours

Gabala

Sepsi OSK

References
  1. Dekret për dhënie të shtetësisë shqiptare nr. 9122 President.al
  2. "Исник Алими ново име во А репрезентацијата на Македонија" [Isnik Alimi is a new name in the national A team of Macedonia] (in Macedonian). Football Federation of Macedonia. 7 September 2023.
  3. Talent Futbolli: Isnik Alimi një futbollist që premton Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine Dollogozhda.eu
  4. Renova vs. Ohrid - 30 July 2011 Soccerway
  5. UFFICIALE: Lumezzane, arriva Alimi dal Chievo Verona TUTTO MERCATO WEB: calciomercato 24H
  6. Lumezzane vs. Pordenone - 31 August 2014 Soccerway
  7. Novara vs. Lumezzane - 6 January 2015 Soccerway
  8. Futbollisti i Shpresave Isnik Alimi firmos te Atalanta minuta90.com
  9. Ultimo giorno di mercato, le operazioni dell'Atalanta Archived 2015-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Atalanta.it
  10. "ISNIK ALIMI E LUCA MILESI IN BIANCOROSSO" (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 22 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  11. "UFFICIALE: ALIMI IN PRESTITO DALL'ATALANTA" (Press release) (in Italian). Imolese. 9 August 2019.
  12. "ISNIK ALIMI NOVI JE IGRAČ HNK ŠIBENIK!" (in Croatian). HNK Šibenik. 18 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  13. "İsnik Alimi "Qəbələ"də". gabalafc.az/ (in Azerbaijani). Gabala FK. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  14. ""Qəbələ"də üç müqavilə". gabalafc.az/ (in Azerbaijani). Gabala FK. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  15. U21: Alimi switches for Albania, Angelov summoned Macedonian Football | Macedonian Football .com - Makedonski Fudbal .com - Macedonian Football (soccer) website
  16. Talenti i Kievos kërkon Shqipërinë, por FSHF-ja hesht Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Panorama Sport
  17. Isnik Alimi përforcimi më i ri i Kombëtares U-21 Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Shqiperia.ch
  18. U-21 ben gati miqesoren kunder Rumanise Archived 2017-08-07 at the Wayback Machine FSHF.org
  19. Shpresat munden në Rumani, dështon “armata” e Gegës Panorama Sport "Gjithsesi, janë tanët që rrezikojnë të parët me anë të Isnik Alimit. Është minuta e 11-të dhe sulmuesi strugan gjen një hapësirë në gjysmëfushën e vendësve dhe lëshohet drejt portës, duke gjuajtur në hyrje të saj. Por portieri i Rumanisë, Kojokaru, arrin që të grushtojë në goditje këndi..."
  20. Shpresat nisin kualifikimet kundër Lihtenshtajnit Archived 2016-04-17 at the Wayback Machine aSport.al
  21. Isnik Alimi at Soccerway
  22. "Isnik Alimi". national-football-teams.
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