Burim Kukeli is exactly the type of player you want to have on your side and other teams hates to play against. He is aggressive, keeps closing down the opposition attackers and always refuses to give up. If there is only one FCL player to leave the field with mud all over his jersey you can bet its going to be Burim.

Full Name: Burim Kukeli
Age: 25
Nationality: Kosovan
Position: Midfielder
2009 Shirt Number: 22

You have been one of Luzern’s best players this season, this comes at least to me as a bit of a surprise as we saw very little of you last year. How do you explain this?
I had a knee injury for most of last season, I kept on working hard but only rehabilitating and trying to get fit for the first team. This year it feels like I am getting better each game. It also helps me that the team is playing as well as it does collectively right now.

Before you signed for FC Luzern you played quite a while for several smaller teams. Did you ever doubt that you would one day make it as a professional?
No, not really. Playing in FC Schotz it was always my goal and ambition to reach the Super League.

How were you recruited by FC Luzern?
My manager at the time set up a trial with FC Luzern. Sporting director Bruno Galliker arranged the whole thing from the FC Luzern side. At the time Sforza was in charge of the first team

I need to ask you about Sundays 4-5 loss against Basel. Leaving the stadium there was a huge disappointment with the result, but now a few days later it is also possible to acknowledge that we saw a great game. How do you look at this game?
After the match I was very disappointed with everything that happened in the last ten minutes. It’s very frustrating to be so close and then not be able to hold on.

So how can you as a team turn what what happened into something positive? All we can do is to forget this game as quickly as possible and now only look forward to the Xamax game.

We now have three very hard games ahead of us, Xamax, YB and FC Zurich. Out of the nine points up for grabs, how many could we realistically hope for? I only think about Thursday. We will go to Xamax and leave the stadium with three points. Then will look to the next game, but of course we play to win all three.

Both Xamax and YB play on artificial ‘plastic’ surface. How is this affecting you as a player?It does matter, we have to adapt our game to this surface and mentally be prepared for it.

So if was up to you as a player what surface should we put in the new Swisspor arena?
No plastic! Real grass.

Is this preference shared across the team?Yes definitely, as far as I know the team is united in its support for a traditional real grass playing surface.

Finally, would you rather win 4-3 or 1-0?4-3 no doubt about that either!

Note: Interview translated.