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 (1912)
GroundStade de la Maladière,
Neuchâtel
Capacity12,000
ChairmanChristian Binggeli
ManagerUli Forte
LeagueSwiss Challenge League
2022–2310th 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 7 September 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 France FRA Théo Guivarch
3 DF Germany GER Alexander Winkler
4 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Sead Hajrović
5 DF Sweden SWE Mirza Mujčić
6 MF Switzerland SUI Fabio Saiz
7 MF Slovenia SVN Kenan Fatkič
8 MF Switzerland SUI Izer Aliu
10 MF Italy ITA Danilo Del Toro
11 FW Switzerland SUI Simone Rapp
13 DF Switzerland SUI Zachary Athekame
15 DF Switzerland SUI Yoan Epitaux
17 FW Ivory Coast CIV Soumaila Bakayoko
18 FW Switzerland SUI Jessé Hautier (on loan from Yverdon)
19 DF Switzerland SUI Ashvin Balaruban
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Fabrice Nsakala
21 MF Switzerland SUI Mats Hammerich
22 FW Switzerland SUI Franck Surdez
23 MF Switzerland SUI Sébastien Moulin
24 FW France FRA Salim Ben Seghir (on loan from Marseille)
26 GK Switzerland SUI Benjamin Roth
27 FW Switzerland SUI Angelo Campos
29 MF France FRA Lucas Marin
34 MF Switzerland SUI Burak Alili
35 DF Ghana GHA Frank Amoabeng
70 DF Kosovo KOS Egzon Rexhaj
72 DF Switzerland SUI Adam Ouattara
77 MF Kosovo KOS Eris Abedini
99 FW Senegal SEN Amadou Dia N'Diaye

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Switzerland SUI Kenzo Ganaj (at Bavois until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW Switzerland SUI Ange Dakouri (at Bavois until 30 June 2024)

Notable players
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Egypt
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Philippines
Saudi Arabia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Hungary
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 Czechoslovakia Sparta Prague 4–0 2–3 6–3
2R Sweden Malmö 1–0 1–0 2–0
3R Portugal Sporting CP 1–0 0–0 1–0
QF West Germany Hamburg 0–0 2–3 2–3
1984–85 UEFA Cup 1R Greece Olympiacos 2–2 0–1 2–3
1985–86 UEFA Cup 1R Romania Sportul Studențesc 3–0 4–4 7–4
2R Bulgaria Lokomotiv Sofia 0–0 1–1 1–1 (a)
3R Scotland Dundee United 3–1 1–2 4–3
QF Spain Real Madrid 2–0 0–3 2–3
1986–87 UEFA Cup 1R Denmark Lyngby 2–0 3–1 5–1
2R Netherlands Groningen 1–1 0–0 1–1 (a)
1987–88 European Cup 1R Finland Kuusysi 5–0 1–2 6–2
2R Germany Bayern Munich 2–1 0–2 2–3
1988–89 European Cup 1R Greece Larissa 2–1 1–2 3–3 (3–0 PSO)
2R Turkey Galatasaray 3–0 0–5 3–5
1990–91 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Portugal Estrela de Amadora 1–1 1–1 2–2 (3–4 PSO)
1991–92 UEFA Cup 1R Malta Floriana 2–0 0–0 2–0
2R Scotland Celtic 5–1 0–1 5–2
3R Spain Real Madrid 1–0 0–4 1–4
1992–93 UEFA Cup 1R Denmark BK Frem 2–2 1–4 3–6
1995–96 UEFA Cup QR Serbia and Montenegro Red Star Belgrade 0–0 1–0 1–0
1R Italy Roma 1–1 0–4 1–4
1996–97 UEFA Cup QR Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta 4–0 2–1 6–1
1R Ukraine Dynamo Kyiv 2–1 0–0 2–1
2R Sweden Helsingborg 1–1 0–2 1–3
1997–98 UEFA Cup Q1 Moldova Tiligul-Tiras Tiraspol 7–0 3–1 10–1
Q2 Norway Viking 3–0 1–2 4–2
1R Italy Inter Milan 0–2 0–2 0–4
2003–04 UEFA Cup QR Malta Valletta 2–0 2–0 4–0
1R France Auxerre 0–1 0–1 0–2

References
  1. "Historique : La Genèse | NEUCHÂTEL XAMAX" (in French). Xamax.ch. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  2. "Le Neuchâtel Xamax FCS est né" (in French). RTS Sport. 29 April 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. "La Genèse" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. "Un palmarès plus que respectable" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  5. "Swiss club Xamax bankrupt, Chechen owner arrested - - SI.com". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  6. Meisterschaft 2. Liga interregional Archived 15 January 2013 at archive.today accessed: 21 July 2012
  7. "Switzerland side Neuchatel Xamax return to top division six years after bankruptcy, collapse". ESPN. 22 April 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. "LA MALADIÈRE – HISTORIQUE" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  9. "Équipe" [Team] (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax FCS. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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