FC Zürich

Zürich
Full name Fussballclub Zürich
Nickname(s) Der Stadtclub (The City Club)[1]
Founded 1 August 1896 (1896-08-01)
Ground Letzigrund, Zürich
Capacity 26,104
Chairman Ancillo Canepa
Manager Ludovic Magnin
League Super League
2017–18 Swiss Super League, 4th
Website Club website

Fussballclub Zürich, commonly abbreviated to FC Zürich or simply FCZ, is a Swiss football club based in the city of Zürich that plays in the Super League, the first tier in the Swiss football league system. The club was founded in 1896 and has won the Swiss Super League 12 times and the Swiss Cup 10 times. The club won the 2009 Swiss Super League and last won the Swiss Cup in 2018. They play their home games at the Letzigrund in Zürich, which seats 25,000 spectators. For the women's team see FC Zürich Frauen.

History

Chart of FC Zürich table positions in the Swiss football league system

1896–1924

The club was founded on 1 August 1896 by former members of the three local clubs (FC Turicum, FC Viktoria, and FC Excelsior). One of them was the FC Barcelona founder, Joan Gamper, coaching and playing for FC Excelsior and its successor between 1894 and 1897.[2]

Zürich won its first title in the Swiss Serie A in 1901–02, but did not win it again until 1923–24.

Until the 1930s, the club's sporting remit also included rowing, boxing, athletics, and handball, but later focused solely on football.

1925–1960

Between 1925 and 1960, Zürich were in the "wilderness years," devoid of success. The club struggled to keep in the top flight and were relegated from the Super League in 1933–34, playing in the 1. Liga until 1941. In 1940–41, they returned to the Nationalliga, where they stayed until their relegation in 1945–46. They were back in the Nationalliga A in 1947–48 and stayed in the top flight until relegated once more in 1956–57. They were promoted from the Nationalliga B to contest the 1958–59 Nationalliga A, finishing in third place.

1960–1981

This period was known as the "Golden Years" by the FCZ faithful. At this time, the club was run by the legendary President Edwin Nägeli and had players such as Köbi Kuhn, Fritz Künzli, Ilija Katić, René Botteron, and many more. Zürich won seven championships in the years 1963, 1966, 1968, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1981. They also won the Swiss Cup five times in 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, and in 1976. FCZ also had some success in Europe getting to the semi-finals of the European Cup 1963–64, before losing to Real Madrid and also reaching the semi-finals in the European Cup 1976–77, where they lost to Liverpool.

1981–2005

Following the club's league title in 1981, the club went into a decline and in 1988 they were relegated to the Nationalliga B. Zürich returned to the top league in 1990. The club did make it to last 16 of the UEFA Cup 1998–99, but were beaten by Roma. The club won the Swiss Cup in 2000, beating Lausanne in the final and also in 2005 beating Luzern.

2006–2016

Season Rank League Ø Attendance[3][4]
2006 1/10 SL 10'008
2007 1/10 SL 10'870
2008 3/10 SL 12'186
2009 1/10 SL 9'829
2010 7/10 SL 10'700
2011 2/10 SL 11'750
2012 6/10 SL 10'511
2013 4/10 SL 10'741
2014 5/10 SL 9'564
2015 3/10 SL 9'389
2016 10/10 SL 8'701
2017 1/10 CL 9'702
2018 4/10 SL 10'841

On 13 May 2006, FCZ ended their 25 years wait for a league title with a dramatic final day victory against FC Basel to win the Super League. They won thanks to a goal scored in the 93rd minute by Iulian Filipescu. The goal gave FCZ a 2 – 1 victory and secured the title on goal difference over FC Basel. In 2006–07, they also won the league.

In 2008 the local women's team FFC Zürich Seebach was combined with FC Zürich and started playing under the name FC Zürich Frauen in the Swiss national league. FC Zürich Frauen is Swiss record champion and 2nd in the alltime table only behind FFC Bern.

In the 2007–08 season, FCZ (men's team) finished in third place. In the 2008–09 season, they won the league, edging out BSC Young Boys. 2009 they qualified for the first time in the club's history for the group-stage of the UEFA Champions League. In the 2010–11 season FCZ finished second. The following seasons they finished mostly in mid-table positions. FCZ won the Swiss Cup 2014 with a 2:0 victory after extra time against FC Basel.

In the 2015–16 season the club finished last, one point behind FC Lugano and was relegated to the Swiss Challenge League. Four days after the final game of the season FCZ won the Swiss Cup 2016 beating FC Lugano 1:0.

Recent years

In the 2016–17 season FC Zürich won the Challenge League ahead of Neuchâtel Xamax and returned after one year to the Super League. In the 2017–2018 season they finished 4th. On 27 May 2018 they won the Swiss Cup for the tenth time, beating BSC Young Boys 2:1.

Honours

Rivalries

Letzigrund

Grasshopper, also from Zürich, and FC Basel are the main rivals of FCZ. Due to the intense rivalry, these matches are so-called high-risk fixtures, with an increased police presence in and around the stadium.

Zürich

Since its inception, FCZ has always had a fiery relationship with neighbouring club Grasshopper over sporting supremacy in the city. Grasshoppers are known as the club of the elite and FCZ are known as the club of the workers. This fixture is known as the only true major local derby in Swiss professional football.

Final vs. FC Basel, 13 May 2006

Before the last round of the 2005–06 Swiss Super League, Zürich were three points behind FC Basel in the league table. The last game of the season was contested by these two clubs vying for the league title at St. Jakob Park, Basel. Alhassane Keita scored the first goal for Zürich. In the second half, Mladen Petrić equalised. FC Basel were seconds away from the title when in the 93rd minute, Florian Stahel passed the ball to Iulian Filipescu, who scored and made it 2 – 1 for Zürich. Zürich won the league title due to their superior goal difference. After the final whistle, the field was stormed by Basel supporters who also attacked Zürich players (see 2006 Basel Hooligan Incident).

Players

Current squad

As of 30 August 2018

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

No. Position Player
1 Latvia GK Andris Vaņins
3 Denmark DF Andreas Maxsø
4 Switzerland DF Becir Omeragic
6 Iceland MF Victor Pálsson
7 Switzerland MF Adrian Winter
10 Switzerland MF Antonio Marchesano
12 France DF Hakim Guenouche
13 Switzerland DF Alain Nef
14 Switzerland MF Toni Domgjoni
15 Nigeria FW Stephen Odey
16 Switzerland GK Novem Baumann
17 Sierra Leone DF Umaru Bangura
18 The Gambia DF Pa Modou Jagne
19 France MF Yassin Maouche
20 Switzerland MF Maren Haile-Selassie
21 Switzerland MF Izer Aliu
No. Position Player
22 Switzerland MF Kevin Rüegg
23 Switzerland MF Fabian Rohner
24 Switzerland DF Michael Kempter
25 Switzerland GK Yanick Brecher
27 Switzerland MF Marco Schönbächler
29 Senegal MF Sangoné Sarr
31 Switzerland DF Mirlind Kryeziu
32 Switzerland MF Bledian Krasniqi
34 Switzerland DF Ilon Sauter
35 Switzerland MF Simon Sohm
68 Switzerland MF Roberto Rodríguez
70 Kosovo MF Benjamin Kololli
71 Kosovo MF Hekuran Kryeziu
77 Switzerland MF Lavdrim Rexhepi
94 Switzerland MF Salim Khelifi
99 The Gambia FW Assan Ceesay

Reserve squad/Zürich II

The Zürich II/U21 team plays in the Swiss Promotion League.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Switzerland GK Yassin Smach
Switzerland GK Calvin Heim
Switzerland DF Kenith Catari
Switzerland DF Gianni Antoniazzi
Switzerland DF Fabio Dixon
Switzerland DF Basil Erne
Switzerland DF Lindrit Kamberi
Switzerland DF Noah Lovisa
Switzerland DF Bijan Dalvand
Switzerland DF Enit Sadiku
Switzerland DF Liridon Berisha
Liechtenstein MF Martin Büchel
No. Position Player
Switzerland MF Marin Cavar
Switzerland MF Marc Figuereido
Albania MF Kastrijot Ndau
Switzerland MF Lavdim Zumberi
Switzerland MF Stephan Seiler
Switzerland MF Guillaume Furrer
Ivory Coast FW Eric Tia Chef
Switzerland FW Yannick Kouamé
Switzerland FW Marvin Graf
Switzerland FW Filip Stojilkovic
Switzerland FW Dimitri Volkart

Notable former players

Players and managers admitted to the FC Zurich Hall of Fame

source:[5]

Players for the Swiss national football team

Players with World Cup appearances for their national teams

Player records

source appearances:[6]

source scorers:[7]

Managers

FC Zürich in Europe

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1963–64 European Cup PR Republic of Ireland Dundalk 1–2 3–0 4–2
1R Turkey Galatasaray 2–0 0–2 2–2
QF Netherlands PSV 3–1 0–1 3–2
SF Spain Real Madrid 1–2 0–6 1–8
1966–67 European Cup 1R Scotland Celtic 0–3 0–2 0–5
1967–68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1R Spain Barcelona 3–1 0–1 3–2
2R England Nottingham Forest 1–0 1–2 2–2(a)
3R Portugal Sporting CP 3–0 0–1 3–1
QF Scotland Dundee 0–1 0–1 0–2
1968–69 European Cup 1R Denmark AB 1–3 1–2 2–5
1969–70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1R Scotland Kilmarnock 3–2 1–3 4–5
1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Iceland Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar 7–0 7–1 14–1
2R Belgium Club Brugge 3–2 0–2 3–4
1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Wales Wrexham 1–1 1–2 2–3
1973–74 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Belgium Anderlecht 1–0 2–3 3–3(a)
2R Sweden Malmö FF 0–0 1–1 1–1(a)
QF Portugal Sporting CP 1–1 0–3 1–4
1974–75 European Cup 1R England Leeds United 2–1 1–4 3–5
1975–76 European Cup 1R Hungary Újpest 5–1 0–4 5–5(a)
1976–77 European Cup 1R Scotland Rangers 1–0 1–1 2–1
2R Finland Turun Palloseura 2–0 1–0 3–0
QF East Germany Dynamo Dresden 2–1 2–3 4–4(a)
SF England Liverpool 1–3 0–3 1–6
1977–78 UEFA Cup 1R Bulgaria CSKA Sofia 1–0 1–1 2–1
2R Germany Eintracht Frankfurt 3–4 0–3 3–7
1979–80 UEFA Cup 1R Germany Kaiserslautern 1–3 1–5 2–8
1981–82 European Cup 1R East Germany Dynamo Berlin 3–1 0–2 3–3(a)
1982–83 UEFA Cup 1R Cyprus Pezoporikos Larnaca 1–0 2–2 3–2
2R Hungary Ferencváros 1–0 1–1 2–1
3R Portugal Benfica 1–1 0–4 1–5
1983–84 UEFA Cup 1R Belgium Antwerp 2–4 1–4 3–8
1998–99 UEFA Cup 2QR Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk 4–0 2–3 6–3
1R Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta 4–0 3–2 7–2
2R Scotland Celtic 4–2 1–1 5–3
3R Italy Roma 2–2 0–1 2–3
1999–00 UEFA Cup QR Malta Sliema Wanderers 1–0 3–0 4–0
1R Belgium Lierse 4–3 1–0 5–3
2R England Newcastle United 1–2 1–3 2–5
2000–01 UEFA Cup 1R Belgium Genk 1–2 0–2 1–4
2005–06 UEFA Cup 2QR Poland Legia Warsaw 4–1 1–0 5–1
1R Denmark Brøndby 2–1 0–2 2–3
2006–07 UEFA Champions League 2QR Austria Red Bull Salzburg 2–1 0–2 2–3
2007–08 UEFA Champions League 3QR Turkey Beşiktaş 1–1 0–2 1–3
UEFA Cup 1R Italy Empoli 3–0 1–2 4–2
Group E Czech Republic Sparta Prague N/A 2–1 3rd
France Toulouse 2–0 N/A
Russia Spartak Moscow N/A 0–1
Germany Bayer Leverkusen 0–5 N/A
R32 Germany Hamburg 1–3 0–0 1–3
2008–09 UEFA Cup 2QR Austria Sturm Graz 1–1 1–1 2–2 (4–2 p)
1R Italy Milan 0–1 1–3 1–4
2009–10 UEFA Champions League 3QR Slovenia Maribor 2–3 3–0 5–3
PO Latvia Ventspils 2–1 3–0 5–1
Group C Spain Real Madrid 2–5 0–1 4th
Italy Milan 1–1 0–1
France Marseille 0–1 1–6
2011–12 UEFA Champions League 3QR Belgium Standard Liège 1–0 1–1 2–1
PO Germany Bayern Munich 0–1 0–2 0–3
UEFA Europa League Group D Portugal Sporting CP 0–2 0–2 4th
Romania Vaslui 2–0 2–2
Italy Lazio 1–1 0–1
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 3QR Czech Republic Slovan Liberec 1–2 1–2 2–4
2014–15 UEFA Europa League PO Slovakia Spartak Trnava 1–1 3–1 4–2
Group A Cyprus Apollon Limassol 3–1 2–3 3rd
Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach 1–1 0–3
Spain Villareal CF 3–2 1–4
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 3QR Belarus Dinamo Minsk 0–1 1–1 1–2
2016–17 UEFA Europa League Group L Spain Villareal CF 1–1 1–2 3rd
Romania Steaua București 0–0 1–1
Turkey Osmanlıspor 2–1 0–2
2018–19 UEFA Europa League Group A Germany Bayer Leverkusen – – –
Bulgaria Ludogorets Razgrad 1–0 –
Cyprus AEK Larnaca – 1–0

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: FC Zürich". www.uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Biography on fcwinterthur1896.com". fcwinterthur1896.com. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "Schweiz » Super League » Zuschauer". weltfussball.at. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Zuschauerzahlen Super League". sfl.ch. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hall of Fame (Auswahl des FCZ-Museums)". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Top 10 Einsätze für den FCZ". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Top 10 Tore für den FCZ". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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