2010–11 Kategoria Superiore
# 2010–11 Kategoria Superiore

The 2010–11 Kategoria Superiore was the 72nd official season, or the 75th season of top-tier football in Albania (including three unofficial championships of WW2) and the thirteenth season under the name Kategoria Superiore. The season began on 21 August 2010 and ended on 16 May 2011. Dinamo Tirana were the defending champions, having won their 18th Albanian championship last season.

The championship was won by Skënderbeu, with Flamurtari and Vllaznia finishing second and third, respectively. On the bottom end of the table, Besa and Elbasani were directly relegated, while Shkumbini and Dinamo Tirana had to compete in the relegation playoffs.

## Teams

Apolonia Fier and Gramozi were directly relegated to the Kategoria e Parë after finishing 11th and 12th in the previous year's standings. They are replaced by Kategoria e Parë champions Bylis and runners-up Elbasani.

9th placed Kastrioti and 10th placed Skënderbeu had to compete in single-match relegation play-offs. Kastrioti played against Kategoria e Parë fourth-placed club Lushnja, while Skënderbeu played against Kategoria e Parë third-placed club Kamza. Both Kastrioti and Skënderbeu won their matches 1–0 and retained their places in the league.

### Stadia and last season

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Last season |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Besa | Kavajë | Besa Stadium | 8,000 | 2nd |
| Bylis | Ballsh | Adush Muça Stadium | 6,500 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Dinamo | Tirana | Qemal Stafa Stadium | 19,600 | Champions |
| Elbasani | Elbasan | Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium | 13,000 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Flamurtari | Vlorë | Flamurtari Stadium | 8,500 | 5th |
| Kastrioti | Krujë | Kastrioti Stadium | 8,400 | 9th |
| Laçi | Laç | Laçi Stadium | 5,000 | 4th |
| Shkumbini | Peqin | Shkumbini Stadium | 6,000 | 7th |
| Skënderbeu | Korçë | Skënderbeu Stadium | 12,000 | 10th |
| Teuta | Durrës | Niko Dovana Stadium | 12,000 | 8th |
| Tirana | Tirana | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | 12,500 | 3rd |
| Vllaznia | Shkodër | Loro Boriçi Stadium | 16,000 | 6th |

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Head coach | Team captain | Kitmaker | Shirt sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Besa | Gert Haxhiu | Artion Poçi | Adidas | Dajti Express |
| Bylis | Nikola Ilievski | Amarildo Dimo | Sportika | Gjanica Sh.A. |
| Dinamo Tirana | Ilir Daja | Arjan Pisha | Sportika | Alpet |
| KF Elbasani | Esad Karišik | Eriol Merxha | Legea | Kürüm |
| Flamurtari | Gugash Magani | Artan Sakaj | Adidas | Brunes Hidrosanitare |
| KS Kastrioti | Ramazan Ndreu | Ylli Shameti | Lotto | VE |
| KF Laçi | Stavri Nica | Sajmir Kastrati | Sportika | Top Sport |
| Shkumbini | Agim Canaj | Lorenc Pasha | Sportika | Yldon |
| Skënderbeu | Shkëlqim Muça | Bledi Shkëmbi | Adidas | Ama Cafè |
| Teuta | Edi Martini | Edmond Doçi | Legea | Abissnet |
| KF Tirana | Mišo Krstičević | Devi Muka | Adidas | BPP Group |
| Vllaznia | Mirel Josa | Vioresin Sinani | Legea | Hotel Colosseo-Shkodër |

### Managerial changes

The Managerial changes:

| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| KF Tirana | Alban Tafaj | End of contract | 26 January 2010 | Pre-Season | Sulejman Starova | 29 March 2010 | Pre-Season |
| KF Tirana | Sulejman Starova | Sacked | 10 October 2010 | 6 | Nevil Dede | 11 October 2010 | 6 |
| Besa | Shpëtim Duro | Sacked | 29 September 2010 | 12 | Përparim Daiu | 21 September 2010 | 12 |
| Besa | Përparim Daiu | Sacked | 6 November 2010 | 12 | Gert Haxhiu | 8 November 2010 | 12 |
| KF Elbasani | Krenar Alimehmeti | Sacked | 16th week | 12 | Esad Karišik | 16th week | 12 |
| Dinamo Tirana | Luis Manuel Blanco | Resigned | 25 December 2010 | 5 | Ilir Daja | 30 December 2010 | 5 |
| KF Tirana | Nevil Dede | Sacked | 6 February 2011 | 4 | Mišo Krstičević | 8 February 2011 | 4 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Skënderbeu (C) | 33 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 52 | 23 | +29 | 73 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Flamurtari | 33 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 62 | 27 | +35 | 66 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Vllaznia | 33 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 41 | 27 | +14 | 59 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Laçi | 33 | 14 | 5 | 14 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 47 | |
| 5 | Tirana | 33 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 42 | 31 | +11 | 44 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 6 | Bylis | 33 | 13 | 4 | 16 | 44 | 48 | −4 | 43 | |
| 7 | Teuta | 33 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 38 | 40 | −2 | 42 | |
| 8 | Kastrioti | 33 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 40 | 47 | −7 | 42 | |
| 9 | Shkumbini (O) | 33 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 43 | 54 | −11 | 42 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 10 | Dinamo Tirana (O) | 33 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 46 | 50 | −4 | 39 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 11 | Besa (R) | 33 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 39 | Relegation to the 2011–12 Kategoria e Parë |
| 12 | Elbasani (R) | 33 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 30 | 79 | −49 | 12 | Relegation to the 2011–12 Kategoria e Parë |

* ↑ Flamurtari were deducted three points for leaving a match without finishing it.
* ↑ Tirana qualified for the Europa League second qualifying round by winning the 2010–11 Albanian Cup.
* ↑ Elbasani were deducted three points for unpaid salaries to former player Darko Perić.

## Results

The schedule consisted of three rounds. During the first two rounds, each team played each other once home and away for a total of 22 matches. The pairings of the third round were then set according to the standings after the first two rounds, giving every team a third game against each opponent for a total of 33 games per team.

### Positions by round

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Skënderbeu | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Flamurtari | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Vllaznia | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Laçi | 8 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Tirana | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Bylis | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Teuta | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| Kastrioti | 4 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Shkumbini | 5 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Dinamo | 11 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| Besa | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Elbasani | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |

* Leader and UEFA Champions League second qualifying round
* UEFA Europa League first qualifying round
* UEFA Europa League second qualifying round
* Relegation play-off
* 2011–12 Kategoria e Parë

## Relegation playoffs

The 9th and 10th-place finishers in the league faced the sixth- and fifth-placed teams of the 2010–11 Kategoria e Parë, respectively, in single match relegation playoffs.

All times CEST

## Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Daniel Xhafaj | Flamurtari | 19 |
| 2 | Pero Pejić | Tirana | 14 |
| 3 | Brunild Pepa | Teuta | 13 |
| 3 | Emiljano Vila | Dinamo | 13 |
| 3 | Alfredo Rafael Sosa | Skënderbeu | 13 |
| 3 | Vilfor Hysa | Laçi | 13 |
| 7 | Vioresin Sinani | Vllaznia | 11 |
| 7 | Elis Bakaj | Dinamo | 11 |
| 7 | Mladen Brkić | Skënderbeu/Dinamo | 11 |
| 10 | Sebino Plaku | Flamurtari Vlorë | 10 |
| 10 | Fjodor Xhafa | Bylis | 10 |

Source:

