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FC Andorra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andorra
Full nameFutbol Club Andorra
Nickname(s)Els Tricolors (The Tricolours)
Short nameFCA
Founded15 October 1942; 82 years ago (1942-10-15)
GroundEstadi Nacional d'Andorra, Andorra la Vella
Capacity3,306
OwnerGerard Piqué
PresidentFerran Vilaseca
Head coachFerran Costa
LeaguePrimera Federación – Group 1
2023–24Segunda División, 21st of 22 (relegated)
Websitehttps://www.fcandorra.com/
Current season

Futbol Club Andorra is a professional football club based in Andorra la Vella, Andorra, that currently competes in Primera Federación – Group 1, in the Spanish league system. The club was founded in 1942[1] and currently plays its home fixtures at Estadi Nacional. In spite of being based in the microstate of Andorra, the club, voluntarily affiliated to the Catalan Football Federation,[1] has been allowed to compete in Spanish leagues since 1948.[2]

History

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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.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5]

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,[6][7] and in April 2019 presented its main sponsor MoraBanc;[8] a major bank in Andorra. Weeks later they achieved promotion to Tercera División, after a streak of 22 matches unbeaten.[9] 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.[10][11]

On 20 February 2020, head coach Gabri Garcia was fired from the club.[12] The reason was poor results with 3 consecutive losses and 7 matches without a single victory.[13] On the same day Nacho Castro was appointed as the club's new head coach.[14] On 27 February 2020, one of the biggest business groups in Andorra Pyrénées signed an agreement with the club, becoming its "premium partner".[15]

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.[16] Although, despite this result the team achieved a place in the Primera División RFEF, new league of the third level of Spanish football.[17]

On 21 May 2022, the team was promoted to the Segunda División after beating already relegated UCAM Murcia 1–0 at home, thus getting promoted to the second tier for the first time in their history.[18]

On 26 May 2024, the team was relegated to third division after two years stay in second division following a 0-3 defeat against Real Oviedo.

Stadium

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Estadi Nacional, the club's current home stadium

FC Andorra historically hosted their matches at the Camp d’Esports de les Valls in the capital city of Andorra la Vella before relocating in 1983, to the Estadi Comunal d'Aixovall which, after a renovation in 1999, had a capacity of 1,000 spectators.[19] Following the closure of Aixovall, the club relocated again in 2015 to the new, smaller Centre d'Entrenament de la FAF facility in Andorra la Vella.

More recently the team have been based at the 500-seat Camp de Fútbol de Prada de Moles in Encamp[20] however, since 2021, the club has utilised the 3,306-capacity Estadi Nacional for all home games following an agreement made with the Government of Andorra.[21] The stadium had previously hosted FC Andorra games on a temporary basis in 2015 prior to the opening of the Centre d'Entrenament de la FAF.

On 8 May 2022, a record 3,631 fans attended the team's home match against visiting Albacete Balompié at Estadi Nacional.[22]

In August 2022, following their promotion to the Segunda División, the club announced future plans for a new 6,000-capacity stadium on the site of the existing Camp de Fútbol de Prada de Moles, with an estimated cost of €26 million.[23]

Crest and shirt

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Traditional crest, used until 2021

FC Andorra's traditional crest, first used in 1948,[24] used the colours and icons of the country of Andorra. It represented the coat of arms of Andorra with some minor variations, featuring the arms of both the Bishop of Urgell and Count of Foix - the two historical Co-Princes of Andorra[25] - along with the arms of the Viscounts of Béarn and Catalonia, two neighbouring territories that Andorra has historically been reliant upon.[26] The traditional crest was updated and amended on several occasions though keeping a very similar and familiar appearance.[24] On 7 July 2021, the club announced a change in its brand image, replacing the traditional crest with the current logo featuring a new round crest in blue with a white pattern representing the name of the club, the country and the mountains characterising the nation. In addition, these elements are encircled by the colours of the Andorran flag.[27]

The club first used red shirts and white shorts as its kit, however this was soon changed in 1948 when they adopted the blue, yellow and red colours of the national flag of Andorra. Historically, the club's kit has often featured the three distinctive colours in the design on the national flag, thus earning FC Andorra the nickname of Els tricolors ('The Tricolours'). From 2019, the club has partnered with the American sports brand Nike to supply the playing kits for the team.[28]

1942
1948
2013
2019
2020

Honours

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Seasons

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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 4th First round
1978–79 4 5th Second round
1979–80 4 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 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 17th
1999–2000 5 1ª Cat. 18th
2000–01 5 1ª Cat. 3rd
2001–02 4 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 First round
2021–22 3 1ª RFEF 1st Second round
2022–23 2 7th Second round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2023–24 2 21st First round
2024–25 3 1ª Fed.

Players

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Current squad

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As of 2 September 2024[29]

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 Argentina ARG Nico Ratti (captain)
2 DF Spain ESP Joel Arumí
4 DF Spain ESP Pablo Trigueros
5 DF Spain ESP César Morgado
6 MF Spain ESP Alberto Solís
7 MF Colombia COL Juanda Fuentes
8 MF Spain ESP Erik Morán
9 FW Spain ESP Manu Nieto
10 MF Spain ESP Álvaro Martín
11 FW Uruguay URU Lautaro de León
12 MF Senegal SEN Assane Ndiaye
13 GK Spain ESP Oier Olazábal
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF Spain ESP Sergio Molina (3rd captain)
15 MF Spain ESP Luismi Redondo
16 MF Spain ESP Alvaro Pena
17 DF Spain ESP Jesús Clemente
18 DF Spain ESP Marc Bombardó
19 FW Greece GRE Christos Albanis
20 DF Spain ESP Martí Vilà (4th captain)
21 MF Spain ESP Josep Cerdà
22 FW Andorra AND Berto Rosas
23 DF Spain ESP Diego Alende
24 DF Spain ESP Pau Casadesús
27 DF Andorra AND Iván Rodríguez

Youth team

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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
31 GK Spain ESP Carlos Boga

Out on loan

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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
MF Spain ESP Álex Calvo (on loan to Mirandés until 30 June 2025)
MF France FRA Théo Le Normand (on loan to Teruel until 30 June 2025)

Current technical staff

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Position Staff
Head coach Spain Ferran Costa
Assistant coach Spain Marcos Reina
Spain Toni Astorgano
Analyst Spain Carles Manso
Goalkeeping coach Spain José Bermúdez
Argentina Julián Pedernera
Fitness coach Spain Aitor Yeto
Rehab fitness coach Spain Alejandro Jiménez
Physiotherapist Andorra Adri López
Spain Oriol Pastor
Spain Pere Tarradellas
Doctor Spain Bernat González
Psychologist Spain Ferran Lanau
Nutritionist Spain Lluis Rodon
Kit man Spain Jordi Collado
Spain Jonathan Barreal
Delegate Spain Cristian Lanzarote
Team manager Andorra Carles de Bofarull
Facilities manager Andorra Mateo López
Director of football Spain Jaume Nogues

Last updated: 26 September 2022
Source: FC Andorra Cuerpo técnico

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Gómez de la Vega Jiménez, Álvaro (27 December 2019). "Andorra y fiscalidad". Iusport. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Andorra, el país de los Pirineos... ¡y el fútbol!". fifa.com. 5 November 2020. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  3. ^ RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "Lluís España vol recuperar la memòria històrica de l'FC Andorra - Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Futbol Club Andorrà :: La Futbolteca. Enciclopedia del Fútbol Español" (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  5. ^ "La ilusiófl del Andorra le lleva' hásta el título" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  6. ^ Sport (29 December 2018). "Gerard Pique is now the owner of FC Andorra". sport. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  7. ^ RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "L'acord de l'FC Andorra amb el grup Kosmos preveu construir dos camps de futbol - Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Gerard Pique presents new FC Andorra sponsor MoraBanc Photos". epa.eu. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ "Gerard Pique's FC Andorra take final Segunda B place". Football Espana. 29 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  11. ^ "FC Andorra: Gerard Pique's team pay £411,000 for promotion to Spanish third tier". BBC Sport. 29 July 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  12. ^ colin (25 February 2020). "Former Barcelona player Gabri sacked by Gerard Pique's FC Andorra". Football Espana. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  13. ^ "El Andorra de Piqué destituye a Gabri como entrenador". Marca.com (in Spanish). 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  14. ^ Sport (27 February 2020). "Piqué viaja a Andorra para dar la bienvenida a Nacho Castro". sport (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Pyrénées se convierte en socio prémium del proyecto de Piqué para el FC Andorra". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  16. ^ "La Real Sociedad B hace valer su puesto y luchará por el ascenso (2-1)". rfef.es (in Spanish). 15 May 2021. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  17. ^ 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). Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  18. ^ "El Andorra de Piqué y Eder Sarabia asciende a Segunda división". marca.com (in Spanish). 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  19. ^ DiariAndorra (12 December 2014). "Comencen les obres per fer el camp a la Borda Mateu". DiariAndorra.ad. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  20. ^ "El Periòdic d'Andorra - Actualitat Andorra, Notícies Andorra". El Periòdic d'Andorra. 9 February 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  21. ^ "L' Andorra jugarà al Nacional" (in Catalan). Diari d'Andorra. 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Avui som 3.631 espectadors al Estadi Nacional" Archived 20 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine; FC Andorra at Twitter
  23. ^ "Pique-owned FC Andorra set to develop new stadium". The Stadium Business. 1 August 2022. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Historial del Futbol Club Andorra". La Futbolteca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  25. ^ Shaw, Carol P. (2004). Flags. HarperCollins UK. p. 29. ISBN 9780007165261. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  26. ^ Kindersley, Dorling (6 January 2009). Complete Flags of the World. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 134. ISBN 9780756654863. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  27. ^ "Nuevo escudo para el FC Andorra de Piqué". sport.es (in Spanish). 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  28. ^ "Owned By Gerard Piqué: FC Andorra 19-20 Home & Away Kits Revealed". Footy Headlines. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  29. ^ "FC Andorra Jugadors". FC Andorra. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
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