 | |||
| Full name | Neuchâtel Xamax FCS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Xamax | ||
| Founded | 1912 | ||
| Ground | Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel | ||
| Capacity | 12,000 | ||
| Chairman | Christian Binggeli | ||
| Manager | Martin Rueda | ||
| League | Swiss Challenge League | ||
| 2019–20 | Swiss Super League, 10th of 10 (relegated) | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
| |||
)
)
.jpg'))
Neuchâtel Xamax FCS (pronounced [nøʃɑtɛl ksamaks]) is a Swiss football club based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal, founded in 1906 and Swiss champions of 1916, and FC Xamax founded in 1912. The name Xamax comes from legendary Swiss international 'Xam' Max Abegglen, one of the founding members.[1] Xamax Neuchâtel FCS obtained its current name after a merger with FC Serrières, another side from Neuchâtel, in May 2013.[2]
History
Students at the Collège latin in Neuchâtel began playing organized football in 1910 soon after, in 1912, Neuchâtel Xamax was officially founded.[3]
They have been champions of Switzerland on two occasions, in successive years in 1987 and 1988.[4] The club has also made it to 5 Swiss Cup finals, the most recent in 2011, but have failed to win any of them.[4]
After many financial crises, the club declared bankruptcy on 26 January 2012 and was consequently excluded from Swiss Super League.[5] The club was reformed, but had to restart in the Swiss amateur leagues, entering the 2. Liga Interregional, the fifth tier of the Swiss football league system, for the 2012–13 season.[6] The club finished first in 2013 and was promoted to the 1. Liga Classic for 2013–14. Once again, Xamax finished first, winning the play-off to secure a second successive promotion. Xamax won 1. Liga Promotion, the third tier of Swiss league system and promoted to Challenge League after making third successive promotion in 2014–15 season.[4]
The club finally won promotion back to the Swiss Super League in 2018 after bankruptcy and six years in the lower leagues.[7]
Stadium
The club plays its home matches at the Stade de la Maladière, which began construction in 2004 and was opened in 2007. It has a capacity of 12,500 spectators.[8]
Current squad
- As of 22 January 2021[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Notable players
- Africa
- Cameroon
Freddy Mveng
- Central African Republic
Louis Mafouta
- Ivory Coast
Eric Tia
- Nigeria
Brown Ideye- Kalu Uche
- Senegal
- Asia
- Philippines
Michael Kempter
- Saudi Arabia
Hussein Abdulghani
- Europe
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mustafa Sejmenović- Ensar Arifović
- Bulgaria
- Ireland
- Liechtenstein
Noah Frick
- Spain
Víctor Sánchez
- Switzerland
Johan Djourou- Lucien Favre
- Mario Gavranović
- Haris Seferović
Honours
- Leagues
- Swiss Super League
- Winner (2): 1986–87, 1987–88
- Swiss Challenge League
- Winner (3): 1972–73, 2006–07, 2017–18
- Swiss Promotion League
- Winner: 2014–15
- 1. Liga Classic
- Winner: 2013–14
- 2. Liga Interregional
- Winner: 2012–13
- Cups
- Swiss Super Cup
- Winner (3): 1987, 1988, 1990
Former coaches
|
|
.svg.png){kind=small}
European record
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponents | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Sparta Prague | 4–0 | 2–3 | 6–3 |
| 2R |  Malmö | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 3R |  Sporting CP | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | ||
| QF |  Hamburg | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | ||
| 1984–85 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Olympiacos | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 |
| 1985–86 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Sportul Studențesc | 3–0 | 4–4 | 7–4 |
| 2R |  Lokomotiv Sofia | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 (a) | ||
| 3R |  Dundee United | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–3 | ||
| QF |  Real Madrid | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | ||
| 1986–87 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Lyngby | 2–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 |
| 2R |  Groningen | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 (a) | ||
| 1987–88 | European Cup | 1R |  Kuusysi | 5–0 | 1–2 | 6–2 |
| 2R | Bayern Munich | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | ||
| 1988–89 | European Cup | 1R | Larissa | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 (3–0 PSO) |
| 2R |  Galatasaray | 3–0 | 0–5 | 3–5 | ||
| 1990–91 | European Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | Estrela de Amadora | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 (3–4 PSO) |
| 1991–92 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Floriana | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| 2R | Celtic | 5–1 | 0–1 | 5–2 | ||
| 3R | Real Madrid | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–4 | ||
| 1992–93 | UEFA Cup | 1R | BK Frem | 2–2 | 1–4 | 3–6 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | QR | %3b_Flag_of_Serbia_and_Montenegro_(2003%e2%80%932006).svg.png){kind=small} Red Star Belgrade | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| 1R |  Roma | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–4 | ||
| 1996–97 | UEFA Cup | QR |  Anorthosis Famagusta | 4–0 | 2–1 | 6–1 |
| 1R |  Dynamo Kyiv | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | ||
| 2R | Helsingborg | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | ||
| 1997–98 | UEFA Cup | Q1 |  Tiligul-Tiras Tiraspol | 7–0 | 3–1 | 10–1 |
| Q2 |  Viking | 3–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 1R | Inter Milan | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | ||
| 2003–04 | UEFA Cup | QR | Valletta | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| 1R |  Auxerre | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
References
- ^ "Historique : La Genèse | NEUCHÂTEL XAMAX" (in French). Xamax.ch. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Le Neuchâtel Xamax FCS est né" (in French). RTS Sport. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ "La Genèse" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ a b c "Un palmarès plus que respectable" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ "Swiss club Xamax bankrupt, Chechen owner arrested - - SI.com". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ Meisterschaft 2. Liga interregional accessed: 21 July 2012
- ^ "Switzerland side Neuchatel Xamax return to top division six years after bankruptcy, collapse". ESPN. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ "LA MALADIÈRE – HISTORIQUE" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ 1ère Equipe – Neuchâtel Xamax 1912
External links
- Neuchâtel Xamax unofficial website (in French)
- Soccerway profile