Neuchâtel Xamax FCS

Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club Serrières or 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 player '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]

Neuchâtel Xamax
Full nameNeuchâtel Xamax Football Club Serrières
Nickname(s)Xamax
Founded1912
GroundStade de la Maladière,
Neuchâtel
Capacity12,000
ChairmanChristian Binggeli
ManagerJeff Saibene
LeagueSwiss Challenge League
2021–22Swiss Challenge League, 6th of 10
WebsiteClub website
Chart of the table positions of Neuchâtel Xamax FCS and its previous incarnations in the Swiss football league system
Stade de la Maladière
Gilbert Gress, championship winning coach of the 1980s

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 30 January 2023[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  FRA Théo Guivarch
2 DF  SUI Till Estermann
3 DF  FRA Mathieu Gonçalves
4 DF  SUI Liridon Berisha
5 DF  SWE Mirza Mujčić
6 MF  SUI Fabio Saiz
7 MF  SVN Kenan Fatkič
8 MF  SUI Alexandre Pasche
10 MF  ITA Danilo Del Toro
12 MF  SUI Max Veloso
14 FW  SUI Raphaël Nuzzolo
15 DF  SUI Yoan Epitaux
16 FW  SUI Altin Zymberi
17 FW  CIV Soumaila Bakayoko
19 DF  SUI Ashvin Balaruban
20 MF  KOS Endrit Morina
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF  SUI Mats Hammerich
23 DF  JPN Nikki Havenaar (on loan from Thun)
24 MF  SUI Nikolai Maurer
25 FW  FRA Ayoub Ouhafsa
26 GK  SUI Benjamin Roth
33 FW  SUI Ange Dakouri
34 MF  SUI Burak Alili
35 DF  GHA Frank Amoabeng
39 DF  BEL Luis Pedro Cavanda
44 GK  SUI Ysias Hummel
72 DF  SUI Adam Ouattara
80 MF  SUI Izer Aliu
99 FW  SEN Amadou Dia N'Diaye
— MF  SUI Marvin Spielmann (on loan from Lausanne)
— FW  SUI Tician Tushi (on loan from Basel)

Notable players
Africa
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Egypt
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Asia
Philippines
Saudi Arabia
Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Hungary
Germany (West Germany)
Ireland
Liechtenstein
Spain
Switzerland

Honours
Leagues
Cups

Former coaches

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 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
  1. "Historique : La Genèse | NEUCHÂTEL XAMAX" (in French). Xamax.ch. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  2. "Le Neuchâtel Xamax FCS est né" (in French). RTS Sport. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. "La Genèse" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. "Un palmarès plus que respectable" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  5. "Swiss club Xamax bankrupt, Chechen owner arrested - - SI.com". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  6. Meisterschaft 2. Liga interregional accessed: 21 July 2012
  7. "Switzerland side Neuchatel Xamax return to top division six years after bankruptcy, collapse". ESPN. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. "LA MALADIÈRE – HISTORIQUE" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  9. 1ère Equipe – Neuchâtel Xamax 1912
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