1980–81 FC Zürich season

FC Zürich
1980–81 season
OwnerAlfred Zweidler
ChairmanAlfred Zweidler
Head coachDaniel Jeandupeux
StadiumLetzigrund
1980–81 Nationalliga ASwiss champions
1980–81 Swiss CupRunner-up
1980–81 Swiss League CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Walter Seiler (14)
All: Walter Seiler (21)

The 1980–81 season was FC Zürich's 84th season in their existence, since their foundation in 1896. It was their 22nd consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of the 1957–58 season. They played their home games in the Letzigrund.

Overview

The club's president since December the previous season was Alfred Zweidler, who had taken over following Edwin Nägeli death. Nägeli had held this position for over 22 years, since 1957. The newly appointed head-coach was Daniel Jeandupeux. He took over from Albert Sing and Rosario Martinelli, who had acted as joint-coaches until the end of the previous season, this following the sacking of Zlatko Čajkovski. FCZ competed not only in the domestic first-tier 1979–80 Nationalliga A, but also competed in 1979–80 Swiss Cup and in the 1979–80 Swiss League Cup. The team had not qualified for any European competitions.

Players

The following is the list of the FCZ first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 23 August 1980, but subsequently left the club after that date.

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SUI Karl Grob (league games: 26)
GK  SUI Urs Zurbuchen (league games: 2)
DF  SUI Fritz Baur (league games: 20)
DF  SUI Alberto Erba (league games: 11)
DF  SUI Ruedi Landolt (league games: 24)
DF  SUI Heinz Lüdi (league games: 24)
DF  SUI Urs Schönenberger (league games: 7)
DF  SUI Thomas Staub (league games: 0)
DF  SUI Gianpietro Zappa (league games: 26)
MF  SUI Daniel Jeandupeux (league games: 1)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  SUI Walter Iselin (league games: 25)
MF  YUG Jurica Jerković (league games: 24)
MF  SUI Roger Kundert (league games: 19)
MF  SUI Manfred Moser (league games: 23)
MF  SUI Fredi Scheiwiler (league games: 0)
FW  SUI Ruedi Elsener (league games: 25)
FW  SUI Winfried Kurz (league games: 5)
FW  SUI Franz Peterhans (league games: 21)
FW  SUI Walter Seiler (league games: 23)
FW  SUI Hans-Peter Zwicker (league games: 25)
Players who left the squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  SUI Pierre-Albert Chapuisat (to Lausanne-Sport)
DF  SUI Horst Thoma (to Nordstern Basel)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  SUI Georg Aliesch (to reserves)
MF  SUI René Botteron (to 1. FC Köln)
FW  SUI Peter Risi (to Luzern)

Results

Legend

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Nationalliga A

Matches

23 August 1980 Round 1 Zürich 3–1 St. Gallen Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Elsener 14' (1:0)
Lüdi 76' (2:1)
Seiler 85' (3:1)
FCZ summary 28' (1:1) Gisinger
 82' Graf
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Peter Scherz (Aegerten)
30 August 1980 Round 2 Chiasso 0–1 Zürich Stadio Comunale Riva IV, Chiasso
20:00 Riva  65'
Graf  66'
FCZ summary  65' Lüdi
85' (0:1) Zappa
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Bruno Galler (Kirchdorf, Bern)
6 September 1980 Round 3 Zürich 1–3 Basel Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Erba  37'
Zwicker  55'
Zwicker 56' (1:2)
Elsener  58'
FCZ summarx
Summary
18' (0:1) Marti
39' (0:2) Stohler
 76' von Wartburg
89' (1:3) Maradan
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Bruno Galler (Kirchdorf, Bern)
13 September 1980 Round 4 Sion 1–3 Zürich Stade Tourbillon, Sion
20:00 Bregy 71' (1:0) FCZ summary 77' (1:1) Elsener
82' (1:2) Seiler
84' (1:3) Jerković
Attendance: 10,300
Referee: Rudolf Renggli (Luzern)
20 September 1980 Round 5 Zürich 2–1 Xamax Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Seiler 29' (1:0)
Zappa  80'
Elsener 90' (2:1)
FCZ summary 61' (1:1) Robert Lüthi Attendance: 5,700
Referee: Rolf Blattmann (Zeiningen)
4 October 1980 Round 6 Servette 1–2 Zürich Charmilles Stadium, Geneva
20:00 Radi  45'
Valentini  80'
Coutaz 81' (1:2)
FCZ summary 11' (0:1) Elsener
57' (0:2) Moser
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Alfred Heinis (Ammannsegg, Biberist)
8 October 1980 Round 7 Zürich 1–0 Grasshopper Club Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Peterhans 77' (1:0)
Jerković  89'
FCZ summary  43' Koller
Secchi  68'
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)
Note: An honoring took place for goalkeeper Karl Grob for his 350th championship game.
11 October 1980 Round 8 Zürich 1–0 Luzern Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Elsener 29' (1:0) FCZ summary Attendance: 9,500
Referee: Fredy Philippoz (Sion)
18 October 1980 Round 9 Bellinzona 4–1 Zürich Stadio Comunale Bellinzona, Bellinzona
20:00 Ivan Parini 52' (1:0)
Ivan Parini 54' (2:0)
Ivan Parini 64' (3:1)
Ivan Parini 80' (4:1)
Landolt  85'
FCZ summary  48' Degiovannini
59' (2:1) Zappa
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Charles-Henri Morex (Bex)
25 October 1980 Round 10 Zürich 5–1 Nordstern Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Zwicker 12' (1:0)
Seiler 20' (2:0)
Seiler 51' (3:0)
Seiler 72' (4:1)
Zwicker 77' (5:1)
FCZ summary 61' (3:1) Jean-Marc Kälin Attendance: 2,700
Referee: Georges Sandoz (Corcelles-Cormondrèche, Neuchâtel)
15 November 1980 Round 11 Lausanne-Sport 2–2 Zürich Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
17:00 Kok 56' (1:1)
Kok 90+1' (2:2)
FCZ summary 44' (0:1) Lüdi
 71' Lüdi
76' (1:2) Erba
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)
23 November 1980 Round 12 Zürich 4–0 Young Boys Letzigrund, Zürich
14:30 Moser 51' (1:0)
Seiler 57' (2:0)
Elsener 77' (3:0)
Zwicker 82' (4:0)
FCZ summary Attendance: 13,500
Referee: Gottlieb Barmettler (Luzern)
7 December 1980 Round 13 Chênois 1–3 Zürich Stade des Trois-Chêne, Chêne-Bourg
14:30 Manai  59'
Manai 66' (1:3)
Freymond  78'
FCZ summary 1' (0:1) Seiler
22' (0:2) Zwicker
 40' Landolt
60' (0:3) Jerković
Attendance: 1,700
Referee: Charles-Henri Morex (Bex)
1 March 1981 Round 14 St. Gallen 3–1 Zürich Espenmoos, St. Gallen
14:30 Hafner 27' (1:1)
Ritter 36' (pen.)
Hafner 49' (3:1)
Rietmann  86'
Brühwiler  87'
FCZ summary 13' (0:1) Seiler
 36' Zwicker
 86' Jerković
Attendance: 7,200
Referee: Walter Nussbaumer (Crans-près-Céligny)
Note: The ground according to the newspaper «Sport» (2 March 1981) on the border of normality: «large areas covered with shoe-deep snow, in some places bare and marshy, partly interspersed with puddles of water»
8 March 1981 Round 15 Zürich 4–1 Chiasso Letzigrund, Zürich
14:30 Seiler 1′
Zappa 18' (1:0)
Peterhans 69' (2:1)
Zappa 74' (3:1)
Zwicker 77' (4:1)
FCZ summary  20' Melgrati
28' (1:1) Fleury
 65' Manzoni
 67' Fleury
Attendance: 3,200
Referee: Othmar Winter, (Martigny)
15 March 1981 Round 16 Basel 2–0 Zürich St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30 Tanner 56' (1:0)
Marti 90' (2:0)
FCZ summary
FCB summary
 56' Jerković
 88' Seiler
 88' Zwicker
Attendance: 13,500
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)
Note: Corners 5:10
21 March 1981 Round 17 Zürich 3–1 Sion Letzigrund, Zürich
Jerković 4' (1:0)
Seiler 58' (2:1)
Peterhans 81' (3:1)
FCZ summary 50' (1:1) Andrey
 59' Luisier
 76' Karlen
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Rolf Blattmann (Zeiningen)
4 April 1981 Round 18 Xamax 0–2 Zürich Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel
FCZ summary 30' (0:1) Zwicker
64' (o.g.) (Trinchero)
Attendance: 10,200
Referee: Franz Gächter (Aarau, Suhr, Aargau)
12 April 1981 Round 19 Zürich 3–2 Servette Letzigrund, Zürich
Zappa 41' (pen.)
Seiler 64' (2:2)
Seiler 68' (3:2)
Seiler  85'
FCZ summary 27' (0:1) Bizzini
48' (1:2) Yaghcha
 61' Bizzini
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: Jean-Marie Macheret, (Rueyres-St-Laurent)
24 April 1981 Round 20 Luzern 1–1 Zürich Stadion Allmend, Luzern
(Erba) 35' (o.g.) FCZ summary  39' Iselin
67' (1:1) Zappa
Attendance: 10,200
Referee: Peter Scherz (Aegerten)
2 May 1981 Round 21 Zürich 3–1 Bellinzona Letzigrund, Zürich
Elsener 39' (1:1)
Zappa 77' (2:1)
Grob  83'
Zwicker 89' (3:1)
FCZ summary 34' (0:1) Parini Attendance: 3,200
Referee: Philippe Mercier (Pully)
9 May 1981 Round 22 Nordstern 1–2 Zürich Rankhof, Basel
Kälin 53' (1:1) FCZ summary 13' (0:1) Seiler
88' (1:2) Elsener
Attendance: 3,500
16 May 1981 Round 23 Zürich 2–0 Lausanne-Sport Letzigrund, Zürich
Seiler 24' (1:0)
Peterhans 70' (2:0)
Elsener  71'
FCZ summary  47' Chapuisat Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Renzo Peduzzi (Roveredo)
23 May 1981 Round 24 Young Boys 0–0 Zürich Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
FCZ summary  49' Landolt Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Willy Hänni, (Cugy)
4 June 1981 Round 25 Grasshopper Club 1–1 Zürich Hardturm, Zürich
Egli 23' (1:0) FCZ summary 40' (1:1) Erba
 72' Jerković
 77' Lüdi
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: Franz Gächter (Aarau, Suhr, Aargau)
Note: FCZ become Swiss champions 1980/81 thanks to the point gained
13 June 1981 Round 36 Zürich 6–0 Chênois Letzigrund, Zürich
Zwicker 10' (1:0)
Zwicker 14' (2:0)
(Batardon) 32' (o.g.)
Jeandupeux 52' (4:0)
Zwicker 73' (5:0)
Zwicker 90' (6:0)
FCZ summary Attendance: 4,200
Referee: Roland Chapuis, (Courtételle)
Note: Presentation of the championship trophy after the game.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Zürich[1] 26 18 4 4 57 28 +29 40 Champions, qualified for 1981–82 European Cup
and entered 1981 Intertoto Cup
2 Grasshopper Club 26 11 12 3 45 24 +21 34 qualified for 1981–82 UEFA Cup
and entered 1981 Intertoto Cup
3 Xamax 26 14 6 6 44 25 +19 34 qualified for 1981–82 UEFA Cup
4 Young Boys[2] 26 11 11 4 46 33 +13 33 entered 1981 Intertoto Cup
5 Lausanne-Sport 26 12 6 8 40 29 +11 30 Swiss Cup winners, qualified for 1981–82 Cup Winners' Cup
6 Basel[3] 26 9 10 7 48 44 +4 28
7 Servette[4] 26 8 10 8 38 36 +2 26
8 Sion 26 8 8 10 35 42 −7 24
9 Luzern 26 6 10 10 39 46 −7 22 entered 1981 Intertoto Cup
10 St. Gallen 26 7 8 11 35 42 −7 22
11 Nordstern Basel 26 6 7 13 28 37 −9 19
12 Bellinzona 26 7 5 14 25 46 −21 19
13 Chiasso 26 5 8 13 28 46 −18 18
14 Chênois 26 3 9 14 23 53 −30 15 Relegated to 1981–82 Nationalliga B
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

FCZ won the Nationalliga A and this was the club's ninth league championship title to this date.

Swiss Cup

27 September 1980 Round 4 Frauenfeld 2–4 Zürich Kleine Allmend, Frauenfeld
19:00 Hanspeter Studer 28' (1:0)
Frei 82' (2:3)
FCZ summary 32' (1:1) Elsener
59' (1:2) Seiler
68' (1:3) Moser
88' (2:4) Erba
Attendance: 2,800
Referee: Bruno Burgener (Kriens)
9 November 1980 Round 5 Bulle 0–5 Zürich Stade de Bouleyres, Bulle
14:30 FCZ summary Jerković 13' (0:1)
Jerković 27' (0:2)
Seiler 55' (0:3)
Seiler 65' (0:4)
Zwicker 87' (0:5)
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Philippe Mercier (Pully)
29 March 1981 Quarter-final Zürich 3–0 Basel Letzigrund, Zürich
15:00 Elsener  15'
Seiler 24' (1:0)
Elsener 42' (2:0)
Seiler 70' (3:0)
Baur  88'
FCZ summary
FCB summary
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Peter Scherz (Aegerten)
Note: The match was originally scheduled for 29 November 1980, but had to be postponed due to snow. Corners: 11:1
20 April 1981 Semi-final Sion 0–0 (a.e.t.) Zürich Stade de Tourbillon, Sion
FCZ summary  107' Lüdi
 114' Zwicker
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Ulrich Nyffenegger (Nidau)
5 May 1981 Semi-final. replay Zürich 4–0 Sion Letzigrund, Zürich
Peterhans 8' (1:0)
Zappa 31' (2:0)
Moser 45' (3:0)
Zappa 88' (4:0)
FCZ summary Attendance: 8,735
Referee: Georges Sandoz (Corcelles-Cormondrèche, Neuchâtel)
8 June 1981 Final Lausanne-Sport 4–3 (a.e.t.) Zürich Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
15:00 Raczynski  4'
Kok 47' (1:1)
Mauron 65' (2:2)
Crescenzi 97' (3:2)
Crescenzi 99' (4:2)
Fussball-Schweiz summary 38' (0:1) Lüdi
52' (pen.) Zappa
 76' Zappa
 103' Iselin
107' (4:3) Peterhans
 117' Lüdi
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)

Lausanne-Sport won the cup and this was the club's seventh cup title to this date.

Swiss League Cup

16 August 1980 First round Basel 1–2 Zürich Stadion Schützenmatte, Basel
17:00 Lauscher 86' (1:2) FCB summary
FCZ summary
15' (0:1) Lüdi
 18' Moser
56' (0:2) Zwicker
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)
1 November 1980 Round 2 Chiasso 0–2 Zürich Stadio Comunale Riva IV, Chiasso
Riva  15' FCZ summary 60' (0:1) Landolt
85' (0:2) Seiler
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Peter Scherz (Aegerten)
17 March 1981 Quarter-final Servette 1–2 Zürich Charmilles Stadium, Geneva
20:00 Mustapha 82' (1:2) FCZ summary
Servette summary
68' (0:1) Peterhans
 75' Kundert
76' (0:2) Seiler
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Georges Sandoz (Corcelles-Cormondrèche, Neuchâtel)
20 May 1981 Semi-final Zürich 3–0 St. Gallen Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 Kurz 7' (1:0)
Zappa 55' (pen. 2:0)
Zappa 70' (3:0)
FCZ summary Attendance: 1,750
Referee: Philippe Mercier (Pully)
26 May 1981 Final, first leg Lausanne-Sport 1–2 Zürich Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
20:00 Tachet 52' (1:2) FCZ summary 21' (0:1) Zwicker
 27' Erba
36' (0:2) Peterhans
Attendance: 4,200
Referee: Alfred Heinis (Ammannsegg, Biberist)
8 September 1981 Final, second leg Zürich 0–0
(2–1 agg.)
Lausanne-Sport Letzigrund, Zürich
20:00 FCZ summary  72' Lei-Ravello Attendance: 1,050
Referee: Othmar Winter (Martigny)
Note: The second leg of the 1980/81 League Cup final could only be played now due to scheduling problems.

FCZ won the League Cup, winning the final 2–1 on aggregate. This was the club's first League Cup title.

Friendly matches

Pre- and mid-season

23 July 1980 Exhibition game Grenchen 0–7 Zürich Stadion Brühl, Grenchen
FCZ summary (0:1) Landolt
(0:2) Jerković
(0:3) Jerković
(0:4) Jerković
(0:5) Seiler
(0:6) Seiler
(0:7) Seiler
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Werner Bösch (Sutz-Lattrigen)
1 August 1980 Edi Naegeli Memorial Tournament Zürich 1–3 Eintracht Frankfurt Letzigrund, Zürich
Seiler 79' (1:2) RSSSF summary
Eintracht Frankfurt report
31' (0:1) Pezzey
61' (0:2) Körbel
88' (1:3) Lottermann
Attendance: 3,200
Referee: Alfred Heinis (Ammannsegg, Biberist)
Note: Edi Naegeli Memorial Tournament: Semi-final.
2 August 1980 Edi Naegeli Memorial Tournament Zürich 1–1
(3–2 p)
Leeds United Letzigrund, Zürich
Jerković 53' (1:0) FCZ summary 61' (1:1) Sabella
 72' Hamson
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Jean-Marie Macheret, (Rueyres-St-Laurent)
Penalties
Note: Edi Naegeli Memorial Tournament: Match for third place. In the penalty shootout Grob saved two of the Leeds penalties.
6 August 1980 Exhibition game FC Amicitia Neuhausen 0–10 Zürich Langriet, Neuhausen am Rheinfall
FCZ summary 9' (0:1) Seiler
24' (0:2) Moser
35' (0:3) Peterhans
39' (0:4) Seiler
41' (0:5) Jerković
43' (0:6) Seiler
48' (0:7) Jeandupeux
55' (pen.) Moser
58' (0:9) Schönenberger
85' (0:10) Jeandupeux
Attendance: 1,100
Referee: Jakob Baumann (Schaffhausen)
9 August 1980 Exhibition game West Bromwich Albion 0–0 Zürich Split, Croatia
FCZ summary Attendance: 4,000
Note: Match as part of the Trofej Marjan
10 August 1980 Exhibition game Hajduk Split 3–1 Zürich Split, Croatia
Vujović 12' (1:0)
Vujović 18' (2:0)
Vujović 19' (3:0)
FCZ summary 45' (3:1) Jerković Attendance: 20,000
Note: Match as part of the Trofej Marjan
12 August 1980 Philips-Cup,
Semi-final
Zürich 1–1
(6–5 p)
Servette Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
Moser 58' (1:1) FCZ summary 3' (0:1) Radi Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Ulrich Nyffenegger (Nidau)
Penalties
Lüdi
Moser
Peterhans
Seiler
Zappa
Jerković
Elsener
Cucinotta
Bizzini
Schnyder
Mustapha
Zwygart
Seramondi
Sarrasin
Note: Semi-final Philips-Cup
19 August 1980 Philips Cup,
Final
Basel 7–2 Zürich Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
20:30 Marti 31' (1:1)
Gaisser 33' (2:1)
Schär 44' (3:1)
Schär 47' (4:1)
Schär 58' (5:1)
Marti 66' (6:1)
Küttel 68' (7:1)
FCZ summary
FCB summary
25' (0:1) Zappa
74' (7:2) Seiler
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Jean-Marie Macheret, (Rueyres-St-Laurent)
Note: Philips Cup Final
23 September 1980 Mid-season Zürich 9–2 FC Blue Stars Zürich[5] Letzigrund, Zürich
FCZ summary Referee: Burgermeister (Zürich)

Winter break

22 January 1981 Exhibition game ASC Jeanne d'Arc 1–2 Zürich Dakar, Senegal
55' (1:1) FCZ summary 49' (0:1) Zwicker
55' (1:2) Jerković
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Wil
4 February 1981 Exhibition game ASC Bouaké 2–4 Zürich Bouaké, Ivory Coast

FCZ summary (pen.) Zappa
Peterhans
Kundert
Jerković
14 February 1981 Exhibition game Kriens 0–3 Zürich Stadion Kleinfeld, Kriens
FCZ summary 8' (pen.) Zappa
31' (0:2) Zwicker
90' (0:3) Lüdi
Attendance: 300
Referee: Rudolf Renggli (Luzern)
15 February 1981 Exhibition game FC Frauenfeld 0–1 Zürich Kleine Allmend, Frauenfeld
FCZ summary 18' (0:1) Zappa Attendance: 600
Referee: Marino Paggiola, (Appenzell)
21 February 1981 Exhibition game Zürich 4–0 Lugano Centro Sportivo Comunale, Mendrisio
21′ Zappa
29' (0:1) Zwicker
62' (0:2) Seiler
64' (0:3) Lüdi
89' (0:4) Lüdi
FCZ summary Attendance: 300
Referee: Papa (Agno)
Note: Tournament in Mendriso, first game at RSSSF
22 February 1981 Exhibition game Zürich 0–0 Young Boys Centro Sportivo Comunale, Mendrisio
FCZ summary  79' Kundert Attendance: 800
Referee: Marco Raveglia (San Vittore)
Note: Tournament in Mendriso, second game at RSSSF

Sources and references

  1. ^ (red) dbFCZ (2006–2023). "FCZ 1980/1981" (in German). dbFCZ. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  2. ^ (red) BSC Young Boys AG (2025). "YB Saison 1980/81" [YB season 1980/81] (in Swiss High German). BSC Young Boys AG. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  3. ^ Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" (1982). "1980/81 Rangliste" [1980/81 Ranking] (in Swiss High German). Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv". Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  4. ^ Reichmuth, Daniel (2025). "Servette Rangliste 1980/81" [Servette ranking 1980/81] (PDF) (in French). super-servette-ch. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  5. ^ (red) Fussballverband Region Zürich (2025). "FC Blue Stars Zürich" (in German). Fussballverband Region Zürich. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
Preceded by
1979–80
FC Zürich
seasons
Succeeded by
1981–82