Mario Mitaj, the Albanian defender who has recently achieved excellent results with the Albanian National Team, has proven to be a key figure not only for Edoardo Reja's national team, but also for Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia. It was precisely on a Russian media that the Albanian footballer recently spoke. Mitaj discussed his transfer from AEK in Greece to Lokomotiv in Russia. Additionally, he expressed his great love for Albania, explaining that he is not Greek despite being born in the Hellenic state, emphasizing that he feels proud every time he sees the red and black flag.
 |
| Mario Mitaj in action in one of the matches with the Albanian National Team (archive) |
"I had a difficult situation in Greece. The problem with Greek football is that they don't trust young players. They expect an extraordinary performance from a young debutant immediately. There's practically no room for mistakes, if you go out and don't show anything, they start to 'jar you up' in a bottle. Because of this, many young people became discouraged and gave up their football careers.
I also faced this terror. In my first season at AEK at the age of 17, I played about 30 matches, but in the following season I only played two. The offer from Lokomotiv was a breath of fresh air for me, a chance to permanently leave a place where they don't believe in me. Moreover, at that time the Russian Premier League was the sixth league in Europe.
I prefer to work on things that can make me faster, more flexible, and more technical. I'm not a bodybuilder to prioritize muscle mass. In martial arts, muscles don't always play a major role, you can win with intelligence and technique. A weak footballer can be good because of his intelligence.
Disadvantages in Russia? The first thing is congested traffic. But now I'm used to it! Secondly, high prices for almost everything (except gasoline). Life in Moscow is much more expensive than in Greece. And third, speed control cameras. It's absolutely terrible, how do they catch everyone like this? Last year I received 5-6 fines.
I was born in Athens, but I am Albanian. Being born in Athens doesn't make me Greek. I have many friends there, I speak Greek, and I love that country for the opportunities it has given to me and my family. But I love my Albania more, I am a patriot of my country. When I see the Albanian flag and speak with Albanians, I am filled with pride," stated the Albanian National Team defender, Mario Mitaj.