Neuchâtel Xamax FCS

Neuchâtel Xamax
Full nameNeuchâtel Xamax Football Club Serrières
NicknameXamax
Founded1906 (1906)
GroundStade de la Maladière,
Neuchâtel
Capacity12,000
OwnerJean-François Collet
ManagerAnthony Braizat
LeagueSwiss Challenge League
2024–25Swiss Challenge League, 8th of 10
Websitewww.xamax.ch

Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club Serrières (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]

History

In 1906 the club was founded as FC Cantonal and in 1970 merged with FC Xamax to create the current club.

They have been champions of Switzerland on three occasions, in 1916 and in successive years in 1987 and 1988.[3] The club has also made it to five Swiss Cup finals, the most recent in 2011, but have failed to win any of them.[3]

After many financial crises, the club declared bankruptcy on 26 January 2012 and was consequently excluded from Swiss Super League.[4] 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.[5] 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 was and promoted to the Challenge League after having a third successive promotion in 2014–15 season.[3]

The club finally won promotion back to the Swiss Super League in 2018, marking the end of a six-year absence from the top flight of Swiss football. At the end of the 2019–20 Swiss Super League season, the club was relegated back to the second division after finishing bottom of the table.[6]

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.[7]

Current squad

As of 3 March 2026
  • Sources: Transfermarkt squad list 2025–26 season

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
27 GK  SUI Edin Omeragić
94 GK  SUI Tim Hottiger
1 GK  COD Anthony Mossi
5 DF  KOS Lavdrim Hajrulahu
15 DF  SUI Yoan Epitaux
21 DF  NED Léon Bergsma
2 DF  MLI Ismaël Sidibé
36 DF  SUI Shiloh Reinhard
3 DF  SUI Jonathan Fontana
7 DF  SUI Mickaël Facchinetti
16 DF  SUI Léo Seydoux
25 DF  KOS Jetmir Krasniqi
4 MF  KOS Eris Abedini
6 MF  SUI Fabio Saiz
81 MF  POR Diogo Carraco
17 MF  FRA Romain Bayard
35 MF  SUI Altin Azemi
34 MF  SUI Elmedin Zahaj
11 FW  FRA Salim Ben Seghir
99 FW  SUI Liridon Mulaj
9 FW  KOS Shkelqim Demhasaj
19 FW  SUI Jessé Hautier

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
Netherlands

Honours

Leagues
Cups

Former coaches

Coach Nationality Tenure
Giovanni Ferrari 1946–1948
Fernand Jaccard 1948–1952
Josef Humpál 1961–1965
Milorad Milutinović 1968–1969
Josef Humpál 1969–1970
Paul Garbani July 1970–Jan 1972
Josef Artimovits Jan 1972–July 1972
Lev Mantula July 1972–Jan 1975
Branko Rezuar Jan 1975–July 1975
Gilbert Gress 1975–1977
Antonio Merlo July 1977–April 1978
Erich Vogel – April 1978–October 1979
Lev Mantula October 1979–July 1980
Jean‑Marc Guillou 1980–1981
Gilbert Gress 1981–1990
Roy Hodgson 1990–1992
Uli Stielike Jan 1992–July 1993
Uli Stielike & Don Givens / 1993–1994
Gilbert Gress 1994–1997
Alain Geiger 1998–2002
Claude Ryf July 2002–Feb 2004
René Lobello & Christophe Moulin / Feb 2004–July 2004
René Lobello & Gianni Della Casa / 2004–2005
Alain Geiger 2005
Miroslav Blažević 2005–2006
Gérard Castella June 2006–March 2008
Néstor Clausen 2008–Jan 2009
Jean‑Michel Aeby Jan 2009–June 2009
Pierre‑André Schürmann June 2009–April 2010
Jean‑Michel Aeby April 2010–Aug 2010
Didier Ollé‑Nicolle Sept 2010–May 2011
Bernard Challandes May 2011
Sonny Anderson 2011
François Ciccolini July 2011
Joaquín Caparrós July 2011–Sept 2011
Víctor Muñoz Sept 2011–Jan 2012
Roberto Cattilaz May 2012–Oct 2015
Michel Decastel Oct 2015–Feb 2019
Stéphane Henchoz Feb 2019–June 2019
Joël Magnin July 2019–July 2020
Stéphane Henchoz July 2020–Dec 2020
Martin Rueda Dec 2020
Andrea Binotto / Jan 2021–Aug 2022
Jeff Saibene / Aug 2022–Apr 2023
Uli Forte Apr 2023–Dec 2024
Anthony Braizat Dec 2024–present

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 AEL 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. 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. ^ a b c "Un palmarès plus que respectable" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Swiss club Xamax bankrupt, Chechen owner arrested - - SI.com". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  5. ^ Meisterschaft 2. Liga interregional Deprecated link archived 15 January 2013 at archive.today accessed: 21 July 2012
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "LA MALADIÈRE – HISTORIQUE" (in French). Neuchâtel Xamax. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
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