Besart Berisha

Football player infobox
playername = Besart Berisha


fullname = Besart Berisha
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|7|29
cityofbirth = Pristina
countryofbirth = SFR Yugoslavia
height = height|m=1.85
currentclub = Rosenborg
"on loan from Burnley"
clubnumber = 7
position = Winger/Striker
years = 2003–2004
2004–2007
2004–2005
2005–2006
2007–
2008–
clubs = Tennis Borussia Berlin
Hamburg
→ AaB (loan)
→ AC Horsens (loan)
Burnley
→ Rosenborg (loan)
caps(goals) = 04 0(1)
12 0(1)
03 0(0)
31 (11)
00 0(0)
06 0(3)
nationalyears = 2006–
nationalteam = Albania
nationalcaps(goals) = 09 0(1)
pcupdate = 18:57, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = September 12, 2008

Besart Berisha (born July 29, 1985 in Pristina) is an Albanian footballer who plays for Rosenborg BK of Norway, on loan from Burnley F.C of the English Football League Championship and internationally as a striker for the Albania national football team. He is known for his fast dribbling speed and good shooting.

Playing career

Youth and Hamburg SV

Berisha began his youth career at German NOFV-Oberliga club Tennis Borussia Berlin in 2003 where he stayed for just a year before being spotted by Fußball-Bundesliga club Hamburg SV. After signing for the Hamburg he was immediately loaned to Danish Superliga team Aalborg Boldspilkub where he spent a rather unsuccessful spell, playing only 3 games and scoring no goals. [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10413~37399,00.html Besart Berisha | Burnley | Team | Profiles ] ] The following season he was loaned out to fellow Superliga side AC Horsens, where he scored 11 goals in 31 appearances becoming the team's top scorer that season.

For the 2006/2007 football season he remained at Hamburg and was given his chances in the first team. On December 6, 2006 Berisha became the first Albanian ever to score a goal in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10413~37399,00.html Besart Berisha | Burnley | Team | Profiles ] ] by scoring his first goal for Hamburg in the match against CSKA Moskva at home in Hamburg, Germany. He went on to make 12 appearances for Hamburg in the 06/07 season, 9 of which were as a substitute.

Burnley

On July 3 2007, Burnley purchased Berisha from Hamburg SV for £340,000, this followed his impressive performance for Albania against England B Burnley's home ground Turf Moor. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/05/26/sfgeng26.xml England B (2) 3 Albania (1) 1, Daily Telegraph, May 26, 2007] ] After his performance many European clubs were interested in signing the player [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10413~37399,00.html Besart Berisha | Burnley | Team | Profiles ] ] but Berisha was eventually signed to Burnley on a 3 year deal, subject to the player being granted a work permit. The permit was eventually granted on July 3 2007 and the deal was completed. [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/BreakingNews/0,,10413,00.html Besart Berisha granted work permit] ]

Berisha was ruled out for the 2007–2008 season when he picked up an injury whilst playing for his country in an International friendly against Malta. [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestHeadlines/0,,10413~1111677,00.html Berisha Ruled Out For Season | Burnley | News | Latest Headlines | Latest Headlines ] ] It was originally believed to be a minor knock to the knee but it was later discovered that the injury was more serious and was likely to keep the player out for 5-6 weeks. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/6970069.stm BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Burnley | Burnley sweat on Berisha injury ] ] After seeing a surgeon it was further revealed that the player had in fact snapped his cruciate ligament in his knee and would not return to football for a year. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/6993706.stm BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Burnley | Burnley lose Berisha for campaign ] ] The reason that doctors had originally failed to discover the damaged ligament was due to a build up of fluid in the knee which distorted the scans image. [ [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestHeadlines/0,,10413~1111677,00.html Berisha Ruled Out For Season | Burnley | News | Latest Headlines | Latest Headlines ] ]

The player is due to miss the 2007-2008 season for both club and country, and is expected by Burnley to be fit for pre season of the 2008-2009 season.

10 months after suffering a serious kee injury, Berisha made his return to football in a pre-season freindly match in the USA against Carolina Railhawks, He came on in the 71st minute for Joey Gudjonsson. Berisha had just flown to America 24 hours earlier from Albania which proved to be the reason for him not making an impact in the 20 minutes that he spent on the field. The match ended in defeat for Burnley with a 2-1 loss to the American side.

Rosenborg

He has been loaned out to Rosenborg in the autumn of 2008. In his debut he scored two goals against rivals Molde FK.

International football

Besart Berisha received Albanian citizenship in September 2006. He played his first game for the Albania national football team on October 11, 2006, against the Netherlands. He scored his first international goal for Albania on May 25, 2007, during a friendly match with England B played at Turf Moor, in Burnley, England, where he showed impressive form and was the Albanian man of the match. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/05/26/sfgeng26.xml England B (2) 3 Albania (1) 1, Daily Telegraph, May 26, 2007] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.besartberisha.com/ Official Site] de icon
* [http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10413~37399,00.html Burnley Football Club profile]
*soccerbase|id=44618|name=Besart Berisha
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/Players/Player=105960/index.html Besart Berisha at UEFA.com]

Persondata
NAME = Besart Berisha
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH = July 29, 1985
PLACE OF BIRTH = Priština, Yugoslavia
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =