FC Andorra

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Not to be confused with Andorra national football team or Andorra CF.
Andorra
FC Andorra logo.png
Full nameFutbol Club Andorra
Nickname(s)Els Tricolors (The Tricolours)
Founded15 October 1942; 79 years ago (15 October 1942)
GroundEstadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella
Capacity3,306
OwnerGerard Piqué
Head coachEder Sarabia[1]
League1ª RFEF – Group 2
2020–212ª B ��� Group 3 (A), 3rd of 11
2ª B – Group 3 (C), 3rd of 6
WebsiteClub website

Futbol Club Andorra is a professional football club based in Encamp, Andorra, established in 1942. Although based in Andorra, they have competed in the Spanish football league system since 1948. They currently play in Primera División RFEF – Group 2, the third tier.

History[]

Club logo used until 2021

Futbol Club Andorra has historically been the biggest football club in the country. The club was founded on 15 October 1942 in the College of Our Lady of Meritxell and was the first football club to be founded in Andorra.[2] The club joined the categories of the Catalan Football Federation, contesting the Spanish League and Spanish Cup. In the 1963–64 season FC Andorra debuted in the Segunda Regional, finishing in the 11th position.[3]

After several years in regional categories, the Andorran club climbed in 1981 to Segunda División B (third level of the Spanish league system), where they remained for 17 years, with a break in the 1986–87 season when the team played in Tercera División. In the 1988–89 and 1989–90 seasons FC Andorra was close to promotion to Segunda División.

The club's greatest success came in 1994 when FC Andorra won the Copa Catalunya. The Andorran team eliminated FC Barcelona in the semi-finals (aggregate 2–1) and defeated RCD Espanyol in the final played in the Municipal Stadium of Vilassar de Mar, winning 4–2 on penalties after no goals were scored during ordinary and extra time.[4]

At the end of the 1997–98 season the team was relegated to Tercera División (fourth tier).

Their best performance to date in the Copa del Rey was in the 1995–96 edition, beating Palamós CF and Getafe CF before being eliminated by Celta Vigo in Round 16.

From 1986 to 2013 the club also had a futsal section (FC Andorra Futsal) that played in División de Honor and División de Plata.

The Andorran club was bought in December 2018 by Gerard Piqué's Kosmos Holding Group,[5][6] and in April 2019 presented its main sponsor MoraBanc;[7] known as a strong and a benchmark bank in Andorra. Weeks later they achieved promotion to Tercera División, after a streak of 22 matches unbeaten.[8] In July 2019, the club paid a €452,022 fee to replace CF Reus Deportiu in the Segunda División B after Reus were relegated to the Tercera División for failing to pay its players.[9][10]

On 20 February 2020, head coach Gabri Garcia was fired from the club.[11] The reason was poor results with 3 consecutive losses and 7 matches without a single victory.[12] On the same day Nacho Castro was appointed as the club's new head coach.[13] On 27 February 2020, one of the biggest business groups in Andorra Pyrénées signed an agreement with the club, becoming its "premium partner".[14]

In 2021 the team qualified for the promotion play-offs to Segunda División for the first time, however, the club was eliminated in the first round by Real Sociedad B.[15] Although, despite this result the team achieved a place in the Primera División RFEF, new league of the third level of Spanish football.[16]

On 7 July 2021, the team announced the change of its logo, going to use a new one in blue with a white pattern that represents the name of the club, the country and the mountains that characterize this nation, in addition, the circle is surrounded by the colors of the national flag of Andorra.[17]

Stadium[]

Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella

FC Andorra have historically hosted their matches at the Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella in the capital city of Andorra la Vella. The club also hosted their home matches in the Camp d'Esports d'Aixovall (also named DEKV-Arena due to an sponsorship arrangement) located in the parish of Sant Julià de Lòria, with a capacity of 1,000 spectators.[18][19]

In 2021, the club and the Government of Andorra reached an agreement for using the Estadi Nacional.[20]

Crest and shirt[]

FC Andorra take the colours and icons of the country. The club crest represents the coat of arms of Andorra with some minor variations. Their first kit has been historically blue, yellow and red, the national colours of Andorra. Due to their colours the club have been nicknamed Els Tricolors (The Tricolours).

Honours[]

Champions (1): 2018–19
Winners (1): 1993–94

Seasons[]

Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1963–64 5 2ª Reg. 11th
1964–65 5 2ª Reg. 12th
1965–66 4 1ª Reg. 14th
1966–67 4 1ª Reg. 3rd
1967–68 4 1ª Reg. 5th
1968–69 4 Reg. Pref. 4th
1969–70 4 Reg. Pref. 20th
1970–71 5 1ª Reg. 1st
1971–72 4 Reg. Pref. 4th
1972–73 4 Reg. Pref. 11th
1973–74 4 Reg. Pref. 15th
1974–75 4 Reg. Pref. 7th
1975–76 4 Reg. Pref. 9th
1976–77 4 Reg. Pref. 9th
1977–78 4 3ª 4th First round
1978–79 4 3ª 5th Second round
1979–80 4 3ª 1st First round
1980–81 3 2ª B 11th Third round
1981–82 3 2ª B 8th
1982–83 3 2ª B 8th First round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1983–84 3 2ª B 10th Second round
1984–85 3 2ª B 9th Second round
1985–86 3 2ª B 15th First round
1986–87 4 3ª 8th
1987–88 3 2ª B 13th
1988–89 3 2ª B 2nd
1989–90 3 2ª B 4th
1990–91 3 2ª B 8th Fourth round
1991–92 3 2ª B 6th
1992–93 3 2ª B 10th Second round
1993–94 3 2ª B 14th Second round
1994–95 3 2ª B 7th
1995–96 3 2ª B 9th Third round
1996–97 3 2ª B 6th
1997–98 3 2ª B 20th
1998–99 4 3ª 17th
1999–2000 5 1ª Cat. 18th
2000–01 5 1ª Cat. 3rd
2001–02 4 3ª 20th
2002–03 5 1ª Cat. 19th
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2003–04 6 Pref. Ter. 18th
2004–05 7 1ª Ter. 8th
2005–06 7 1ª Ter. 2nd
2006–07 7 1ª Ter. 12th
2007–08 7 1ª Ter. 8th
2008–09 7 1ª Ter. 5th
2009–10 7 1ª Ter. 5th
2010–11 7 1ª Ter. 2nd
2011–12 6 2ª Cat. 2nd
2012–13 5 1ª Cat. 8th
2013–14 5 1ª Cat. 16th
2014–15 6 2ª Cat. 1st
2015–16 5 1ª Cat. 8th
2016–17 5 1ª Cat. 3rd
2017–18 5 1ª Cat. 9th
2018–19 5 1ª Cat. 1st
2019–20 3 2ª B 9th First round
2020–21 3 2ª B 3rd / 3rd First round
2021–22 3 1ª RFEF

Players[]

Current squad[]

As of 2 September 2021

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 Argentina ARG Nico Ratti (3rd captain)
2 DF Spain ESP
3 DF Spain ESP Roger Riera
4 MF Spain ESP Marc Pedraza (4th captain)
5 DF Spain ESP
6 MF Spain ESP
7 MF Netherlands NED Hector Hevel
8 MF Spain ESP Martí Riverola (captain)
9 FW Spain ESP Rubén Enri
10 FW Spain ESP Carlos Martínez
11 MF Spain ESP Marc Fernández
13 GK Spain ESP
14 MF Spain ESP
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF Spain ESP Dani Morer
16 MF Senegal SEN
17 MF Spain ESP David Martín
18 DF Spain ESP
19 FW Spain ESP Manuel Nieto
20 DF Spain ESP Martí Vilà
21 MF Spain ESP Rubén Bover (vice-captain)
22 MF Spain ESP
23 DF Spain ESP
24 GK Spain ESP
25 DF Spain ESP
26 DF Spain ESP Álex Pastor
27 DF Spain ESP

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

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Solé, Sergi (18 January 2021). "Piqué ficha a Eder Sarabia para ser el entrenador del Andorra". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. ^ RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "Lluís España vol recuperar la memòria històrica de l'FC Andorra - Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad.
  3. ^ "Futbol Club Andorrà :: La Futbolteca. Enciclopedia del Fútbol Español" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. ^ La ilusiófl del Andorra le lleva’ hásta el título
  5. ^ Sport (29 December 2018). "Gerard Pique is now the owner of FC Andorra". sport.
  6. ^ RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "L'acord de l'FC Andorra amb el grup Kosmos preveu construir dos camps de futbol - Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad.
  7. ^ "Gerard Pique presents new FC Andorra sponsor MoraBanc Photos". epa.eu. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  8. ^ Schouten, Gina (25 April 2019), "A Neutral Case for Autonomy Promotion", Liberalism, Neutrality, and the Gendered Division of Labor, Oxford University Press, pp. 170–197, doi:10.1093/oso/9780198813071.003.0006, ISBN 9780198813071
  9. ^ "Gerard Pique's FC Andorra take final Segunda B place". Football Espana. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  10. ^ "FC Andorra: Gerard Pique's team pay £411,000 for promotion to Spanish third tier". BBC Sport. 29 July 2019.
  11. ^ colin (25 February 2020). "Former Barcelona player Gabri sacked by Gerard Pique's FC Andorra". Football Espana. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  12. ^ "El Andorra de Piqué destituye a Gabri como entrenador". Marca.com (in Spanish). 25 February 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  13. ^ Sport (27 February 2020). "Piqué viaja a Andorra para dar la bienvenida a Nacho Castro". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Pyrénées se convierte en socio prémium del proyecto de Piqué para el FC Andorra". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 13 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  15. ^ "La Real Sociedad B hace valer su puesto y luchará por el ascenso (2-1)". rfef.es (in Spanish). 15 May 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  16. ^ Abizanda, Jorge (15 September 2020). "La Federación desvela el misterio: La nueva Segunda B se denominará Primera División RFEF" [The Federation reveals the mystery: The new Second B will be called First Division RFEF]. ABC (Spain) (in Spanish).
  17. ^ "Nuevo escudo para el FC Andorra de Piqué". sport.es (in Spanish). 7 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  18. ^ DiariAndorra (12 December 2014). "Comencen les obres per fer el camp a la Borda Mateu". DiariAndorra.ad.
  19. ^ "El Periòdic d'Andorra - Actualitat Andorra, Notícies Andorra". El Periòdic d'Andorra.
  20. ^ "L' Andorra jugarà al Nacional" (in Catalan). Diari d'Andorra. 8 July 2021.

External links[]

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