Qazim Laci

Qazim Laci (born 19 January 1996) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for French club AC Ajaccio and the Albania national football team.

Club Career

Early career

Laci was born in Peshkopi, Albania, but moved to Greece when he was young and among family were placed in Galatsi where he started his youth career with the most successful club in Greek football Olympiacos F.C.

Laci was part of the Olympiacos U-19 squad which participated in the new created championship 2013–14 UEFA Youth League, a European youth club football competition organised by UEFA, which was contested by the under-19 youth teams of the 32 clubs qualified for the group stage of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. He played 5 matches in this competition including two as a starter and Olympiacos U-19 were eliminated in the group stage.

In the following season 2014–15 UEFA Youth League he became a regular starter in the team where he played all matches as a starter and managed to score 4 goals. He scored in 3 consecutive group stage matches against Malmo (3–1) and two times in two matches against Juventus (1–1 & 3–0) and then another brace against Malmo in a 2–0 win. Olympiacos managed to qualify for the next round and played against Shakhtar Donetsk where they were eliminated after the Penalty shoot-out after regular time finished in a 1–1 draw, where Laci himself scored the 4th penalty kick.

Despite he was 19-years-old according to UEFA rules, a team could take a maximum of three players born between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1996 and Laci managed participate with Olympiacos U-19 in another season 2015–16 UEFA Youth League. In this competition he played 5 out 6 group stage matches and all in the starting line up substituting off in just one case. Olympiacos U-19 were equally good with Arsenal and Bayern Munich collecting each 10 points but Olympiacos were ranked last of them (3rd place) due to Head-to-head rules.

Olympiacos