At the age of 22, Ardon Jashari is already one of Brugge's top performers. He proved this impressively in the play-off second leg against Atalanta in the Champions League.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Ardon Jashari plays a key role in the 3:1 win against Atalanta. Jashari had a decisive hand in Bruges' first two goals.
- The blue Sport experts Marco Streller and Marcel Reif praise the 22-year-old. He has no limits, Streller emphasizes. In the meantime, Jashari is said to be on the radar of big clubs.
- At the end of January, Jashari extended his contract with Bruges ahead of schedule until the summer of 2029. Jashari moved to Belgium from FC Lucerne last summer. The next step seems only a matter of time.
Ardon Jashari is playing big at Brugge. With the Belgians, the Swiss midfield engine advances to the last 16 of the Champions League. After a 2:1 win in the first leg against Atalanta, the result was 3:1 in the second leg. Jashari is directly involved in two of the goals and is deservedly named "Player of the Match" at the end of the game.
The Lucerne-born player was omnipresent in the play-off second leg, covering 12.1 kilometers, winning 80% of his duels and 79% of his passes finding a teammate. In the 3rd minute, he initiated his club's opening goal with a powerful ball win with a heel. In the 27th minute, he danced the Bergamasco defense dizzy with a mega solo run down the left flank, his subsequent cross becoming the template for the second goal.
In the Champions League studio, the blue Sport experts are impressed by the 22-year-old's performance. Marco Streller uses words like "world-class" and "sensational". Marcel Reif pays "respect" to the midfielder.
Jashari is also showered with praise online. "He has 30 lungs", "legend", "too good for the Belgian league", "soon for 70 million in the Premier League" are just some of the comments on social media.
The big clubs are already knocking
For both Streller and Reif, one thing is clear: the door to a big club is open for Jashari. Streller: "He's written thick in the scouts' notepads at the top clubs. I'm quite sure of that." The former striker believes Jashari can have a "great career". Will it be like Granit Xhaka's, to whom Jashari is constantly compared? "We'll see," says Streller. So far, Xhaka is the only Swiss player to have had such a career. Nevertheless, Streller is certain: "There are no limits for Jashari."
Clubs such as Napoli, Milan and Atalanta are said to have already put out feelers for the player from central Switzerland. However, expert Reif urges caution: "I hope that the next step is not the next but one." By this Reif means that Jashari should not immediately move to a really big club.
It is uncertain when Jashari will take the next step in his career. He recently extended his contract with Bruges until 2029. "Here to stay," the club wrote under a picture of Ardon Jashari when he extended his contract at the end of January.
Teacher Frick: "He has become much more organized"
Jashari learned his footballing trade at FC Luzern. Teacher Mario Frick keeps looking to Belgium and observing his former player. "He's an absolute leader," the FCL coach tells blue Sport. Jashari has developed further at Bruges. "He's become much more organized. With us, he was much wilder, played more for himself. (...) His journey is far from over."
Jashari's journey with Brugge continues in the Champions League. After beating Europa League winners Atalanta, the Belgians are through to the last 16 of the top flight. Lille or Aston Villa are on the program in the next round.
The draw for the round of 16 is on Friday, February 21. blue Zoom will broadcast the event live from 12 noon.
