FC Astana

Not to be confused with FC Astana-1964.
Astana
Full name Football Club Astana
Nickname(s) The Blue and Yellows[1]
Founded 2009 (2009)[2]
Ground Astana Arena
Ground Capacity 30,000[3]
Owner Samruk-Kazyna
President Sayan Khamitzhanov
Manager Stanimir Stoilov
League Kazakhstan Premier League
2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, 1st
Website Club home page

Football Club Astana (Kazakh: «Астана» футбол клубы), commonly referred to as FC Astana[1] or simply Astana,[4] is a professional football club based in Astana. They play in the Kazakhstan Premier League, the highest level of Kazakh football. The club's home ground is the 30,000-seat Astana Arena stadium, where they have played since 2009 mid-season. The club colours, reflected in their badge and kit, are sky blue and yellow. Founded as Lokomotiv Astana in 2009, the club changed its name to Astana in 2011.[5] They are members of the Astana Presidential Sports Club, an association of the main sports teams in Astana supported by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna.[6]

The short history of the club already boasts two league titles, two Kazakhstan Cups and two Kazakhstan Super Cups. In 2015, Astana qualified to the UEFA Champions League group stage, becoming the first Kazakh team to do so.

History

Foundation and first years (2009–2014)

On 27 December 2008, Almaty based football clubs Megasport and Alma-Ata announced they would merge to found a new club.[7] The club named "FC Lokomotiv Astana" inasmuch as the National Railway Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy became a general sponsor.[7] Kazakhstan Temir Zholy in cooperation with Akimat (municipality) of Astana decided to rebase the club to the new building stadium in the capital of Kazakhstan.[7] Vakhid Masudov became the first head coach in a club history.[8] The club has benefited from a high salary role which has enabled them to attract players of status to the club. Andrey Tikhonov and Yegor Titov first of all came from the Russian Football Premier League.[9] Several more followed such as Patrick Ovie and Baffour Gyan. Maksim Shatskikh later arrived from Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian Premier League which is again a very high profile capture for the club.[10] The majority of their other players have arrived from other clubs of the Kazakhstan Premier League, mostly on free transfers from the clubs which were absorbed to make the club and several which last year went into bankruptcy. On 8 March 2009, Lokomotiv played in the league's inaugural match against the Kazakhmys in Satbayev. In March 2009, Vakhid Masudov was replaced by Vladimir Gulyamkhaidarov.[11] However, only two days after his appointment he was replaced by Russian specialist Sergei Yuran.[11] The club earned silver medals in their first season of play.

On 14 November 2010, Holger Fach guided Astana to their first Kazakhstan Cup success.[12] However, they were ineligible for a UEFA license since they had not yet existed for at least three years.[13] So they were not able to start in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League. On 2 March 2011, Astana beat Tobol 2–1 and won the Kazakhstan Super Cup for the first time.[14] In 2012, Miroslav Beránek led Astana to win their second Kazakhstan Cup.[15] In July 2013, the club made a debut in the European competitions playing in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League against Botev Plovdiv. Astana lost both matches, 0–1 at home and 0–5 away.[16][17] On 4 July 2013, Astana officially joined to newly created Astana Presidential Sports Club, the organization supported by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna to combine the main sports teams in Astana.[6][18]

First title and Stanimir Stoilov (2014–)

Match against AIK in 2014

On 22 June 2014, the club announced that former Botev Plovdiv manager Stanimir Stoilov was appointed as a new head coach.[19] In 2014–15 European campaign, Astana played four ties in the UEFA Europa League qualifying stages. In the first round they beat Pyunik 6–1 on aggregate, then raised more than a few eyebrows in the second round, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 3–1 on aggregate thanks to a convincing home leg win.[20] The third qualifying round saw Astana cruise AIK, with a 4–1 aggregate score. In play-off round, Astana was defeated by Villarreal.[21] On 1 November 2014, Astana became Kazakhstan Premier League champions for the first time in its history, securing the championship with a 3–0 home win against Kaisar.[22] On 1 March 2015, Astana won the 2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup, beating Kairat 3–2 in a penalty shoot-out after the match ended with a score of 0–0. On 26 August 2015, the club became the first team from Kazakhstan to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, after beating APOEL 2–1 on aggregate.[23] On 8 November 2015, Astana clinched their second Kazakhstan Premier League title beating Aktobe 1–0 at home in the last tour game.[24]

Stadium

Main article: Astana Arena
Astana Arena interior

Astana's stadium is the Astana Arena. The stadium has been Astana's home since the mid of the 2009 season, when the club moved from the Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Stadium.[25] The stadium holds 30,000 and has a retractable roof. The inaugural match at the new stadium was a 2–1 win over Kazakhstan national under-21 football team in a friendly match. Match judged famous Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, the symbolic first blow at the ball under his whistle struck the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. As part of each team, in addition to their regular players, were invited on two "stars": in the under-21 national team of Kazakhstan – Georgian defender Kakha Kaladze and Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, and in the Lokomotiv – Turkish players Hasan Şaş and Hakan Şükür. The construction of the stadium costed $185 million.[26] The stadium designed on an elliptic form by leading sports architects Populous in association with Tabanlioglu Architects.[27] On 31 January 2011, it hosted the opening ceremony of the 7th Asian Winter Games.[28] It is also serves as the national stadium for the Kazakhstan national football team.

Colours and crest

Crest used as Lokomotiv Astana
Crest used in 2013

The team's original crest was implemented in 2009 consisting of the team's name, Footbal Club Lokomotiv Astana, on a blue round frame and a blue coloured letter L in the center, meaning railway track. As the result of renaming in 2011, the club adopted a new crest. The crest consisted team's name with an uppercase letters on an image of the ball. This was accompanied by the words "football club" in Kazakh and Russian languages on the top and bottom of the crest. On 23 January 2013, the club presented a new crest, which was replicated the style and colours of the Lokomotiv Astana crest. The crest consisted an image of the ball in a shanyrak style and two Kazakh national patterns on each side.[29] The present club crest was introduced on 10 March 2014, and incorporating the Astana Presidential Sports Club crest's style and colours as well as the BC Astana, Astana Pro Team and Astana Dakar Team.[30] The crest consisting of the team's name, Astana Football Club, under a flying ball.

Blue and white were the club's primary colours, though the team's nickname was the "Blue-and-White". Blue was used to accent the home jersey while white was the main colour of the team's away kit. During the 2012 season, Astana wore yellow and blue striped shirts and blue shorts as home kit and wholly blue away kit. In 2013, they retrieved original colours used from 2009 to 2011. In 2013, the club joined to Astana Presidential Sports Club and adopted its colours. The present club colours are sky blue and yellow. The Astana's current shirt sponsor is Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna.[31] The club's first kit sponsorship was from national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy who sponsored the club for a total of 4 years before ending the deal in 2013. The team's kit supplier is Adidas who supplying the club kits since their inception.[31]

Kit evolution

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
2009–2014 Adidas Kazakhstan Temir Zholy
2014– Samruk-Kazyna
2009–2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2009–2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2012
2014
2015

Players

First team squad

As of 6 January 2016.[32]

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

No. Position Player
1 Kazakhstan GK Nenad Erić
2 Kazakhstan DF Yeldos Akhmetov
5 Bosnia and Herzegovina DF Marin Aničić
6 Serbia MF Nemanja Maksimović
9 Kazakhstan FW Aleksey Shchotkin
11 Kazakhstan MF Serikzhan Muzhikov
14 Kazakhstan MF Ardak Saulet
15 Kazakhstan MF Abzal Beisebekov
16 Kazakhstan MF Vladislav Mendybayev
17 Kazakhstan FW Tanat Nusserbayev (captain)
19 Kazakhstan MF Alexei Rodionov
20 Kazakhstan MF Zhakyp Kozhamberdi
22 Kazakhstan FW Bauyrzhan Dzholchiyev
No. Position Player
23 Ghana FW Patrick Twumasi
24 Ukraine MF Denys Dedechko
28 Kazakhstan DF Birzhan Kulbekov
40 Kazakhstan GK Mikhail Golubnichy
44 Russia DF Yevgeny Postnikov
77 Kazakhstan DF Dmitri Shomko
85 Kazakhstan GK Vladimir Loginovsky
88 Colombia MF Roger Cañas
Kazakhstan MF Gevorg Najarian

For recent transfers, see 2015 FC Astana season.

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player
57 Kazakhstan MF Ulan Konysbayev (on loan to Kairat until 30 December 2015)
58 Kazakhstan FW Toktar Zhangylyshbay (on loan to Kairat until 30 December 2015)

Notable managers

For more details on this topic, see List of FC Astana managers.

The following managers won at least one trophy when in charge of Astana:

Name Period Trophies
Germany Holger Fach 2010–2011 Kazakhstan Cup, Kazakhstan Super Cup
Czech Republic Miroslav Beránek 2012–2013 Kazakhstan Cup
Bulgaria Stanimir Stoilov 2014– 2 Kazakhstan Premier Leagues, Kazakhstan Super Cup

Non-playing staff

Management

Position Staff
President Kazakhstan Sayan Khamitzhanov
General Manager Kazakhstan Kaisar Bekenov
Sporting Director Kazakhstan Alexander Konochkin

Last updated: 16 July 2015
Source: FC Astana

Coaching staff

Stanimir Stoilov, the current manager of Astana
Position Staff
Manager Bulgaria Stanimir Stoilov
Assistant Manager Kazakhstan Grigori Babayan
First Team Coach Bulgaria Tsanko Tsvetanov
First Team Coach Bulgaria Said Ibraimov
First Team Coach Kazakhstan Arkadi Bakulin
First Team Goalkeeping Coach Kazakhstan Nikolai Rodionov
First Team Rehabilitologist Moldova Stepan Tupik
First Team Doctor Belarus Tadeush Perekhod
First Team Methodist Kazakhstan Magomed Nozadze
First Massagist Kazakhstan Sergei Larin
First Team Administrator Kazakhstan Vyacheslav Begunov

Last updated: 16 July 2015
Source: FC Astana

Honours

Domestic

Leagues

Winners (2): – 2014, 2015

Cups

Winners (2) – 2010, 2012
Winners (2): – 2011, 2015

European

Group stage (1): 2015–16

Seasons

Season Level Pos Pld W D L GF GA Points Domestic Cup
2009 1st 2 26 20 0 6 54 24 60Round 2
2010 1st 4 32 14 8 10 41 28 50 Winners
2011 1st 4 32 16 7 9 50 37 33 Round 2
2012 1st 5 26 13 7 6 34 24 46 Winners
2013 1st 2 32 19 5 8 56 28 38 Quarterfinals
2014 1st 1 32 18 10 4 63 26 45 Semifinals
2015 1st 1 32 20 7 5 55 26 46 Runners-up

In Europe

Matches

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1Q Bulgaria Botev Plovdiv 0–1 0–5 0–6
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1Q Armenia Pyunik 2–0 4–1 6–1
2Q Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv 3–0 0–1 3–1
3Q Sweden AIK 1–1 3–0 4–1
PO Spain Villarreal 0–3 0–4 0–7
2015–16 UEFA Champions League 2Q Slovenia Maribor 3–1 0–1 3–2
3Q Finland HJK 4–3 0–0 4–3
PO Cyprus APOEL 1–0 1–1 2–1
GS Portugal Benfica 2–2 0–2 4th
place
Spain Atlético Madrid 0–0 0–4
Turkey Galatasaray 2–2 1–1
2016–17 UEFA Champions League 2Q
Notes

UEFA club ranking

For more details on this topic, see UEFA coefficient.

The following list ranks the currient position of Astana in UEFA club ranking:

Rank Team Points
135Norway Rosenborg12.750
136Denmark Midtjylland12.620
137Kazakhstan Astana12.575
138Poland Wisła Kraków12.500
139France Nice11.749

As of 11 December 2015.[34]

Club records

Partnerships

On 11 November 2013 it was announced that Astana had partnered with the La Liga team Real Sociedad to cooperate in terms of exchange of skills and knowledge, organization of friendly matches, training camps for youth development and grassroots football.
On 29 April 2014 it was announced that Astana Presidential Sports Club had signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Galatasaray Sports Club. The memorandum chiefly provides for cooperation between the Astana and Galatasaray S.K..

References

  1. 1 2 "Team profile". UEFA.com. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Club History at official website
  3. ↑ "First Division Clubs in Europe" (PDF). UEFA.com. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Astana oust Maribor, BATE, Steaua, Celtic go on". UEFA.com. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  5. ↑ ФК "Локомотив" переименован в ФК "Астана" [FC Lokomotiv renamed to FC Astana] (in Russian). FC Astana. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 Ilyas Omarov (11 March 2011). "Astana Presidential Sports Club launched". The Astana Times. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 В Казахстане создан новый футбольный клуб "Локомотив" [In Kazakhstan was founded a new football club "Lokomotiv"] (in Russian). Kazakhstan Telegraph Agency (KazTAG). 27 December 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Мегаспорт" перебазировался в Астану ["Megasport" rebased to Astana] (in Russian). TengriNews.kz. 26 December 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Mikhail Kozachkov (2 May 2009). "Tikhonov and Titov happy in Kazakhstan". UEFA.com. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Mikhail Kozachkov (22 June 2009). "Shatskikh aiming to go far with Lokomotiv". UEFA.com. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  11. 1 2 Mikhail Kozachkov (4 March 2009). "Локомотив" назначил Юрана [Lokomotiv appointed Yuran] (in Russian). UEFA.com. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  12. ↑ Mikhail Kozachkov (14 November 2010). "Lokomotiv win Kazakh Cup for first time". UEFA.com. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  13. ↑ "The European Club Footballing Landscape; Club Licensing Benchmarking Report Financial Year 2010" (PDF). UEFA.com. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Mikhail Kozachkov (4 March 2011). "Lokomotiv Astana ready for Kazakh openers". UEFA.com. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  15. ↑ "Astana FC is going to replace Beranek". TengriNews.kz. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  16. ↑ "Astana 0–1 Botev Plovdiv". UEFA.com. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  17. ↑ "Botev Plovdiv 5–0 Astana". UEFA.com. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "In Astana, there was presented a new multi-sport club "Astana"". Samruk-Kazyna. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  19. ↑ "New coach of FC Astana named". Kazinform. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  20. ↑ Heath Chesters (8 August 2014). "Real Sociedad head to Russia, Villarreal to Kazakhstan in the Europa League". InsideSpanishFootball.com. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  21. ↑ "Villarreal devastate FC Astana in UEFA Europa League play-offs". Kazinform. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  22. ↑ Aidyn Kozhakhmetov (1 November 2014). "Astana celebrating winning first Kazakh title". UEFA.com. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "Astana make history as Maksimović stuns APOEL". UEFA.com. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "FC Astana retain their Kazakhstan Premier League title". Kazinform. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  25. ↑ "Astana Arena". StadiumGuide.com. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  26. ↑ "Sembol’s $185m Astana stadium opens". KazWorld.info. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  27. ↑ "Astana Arena – Kazakhstan Stadium Building". e-architect.co.uk. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  28. ↑ "Astana’s new stadium ready to host games". hurriyet.com.tr. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  29. ↑ У футбольного клуба «Астана» изменилась эмблема [FC Astana changed its emblem] (in Russian). Zakon.kz. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  30. ↑ ФК «Астана» презентовал новый состав, форму и логотип [FC Astana presented new squad, kits and logo] (in Russian). Kazinform. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  31. 1 2 Спонсоры и партнеры [Sponsors and partners] (in Russian). FC Astana. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  32. ↑ "Основной состав" [First Team Squad]. FC Astana. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  33. 1 2 3 "FC Astana .:. Steckbrief". Worldfootball. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  34. ↑ "UEFA rankings for club competitions". UEFA.com. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  35. 1 2 "Самые крупные победы и поражения" [Record league victories and defeats]. FC Astana. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  36. ↑ "Командные рекорды за 1 сезон" [Team records in a one season]. FC Astana. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  37. 1 2 "Рекордсмены "Астаны"" [Record-holders of "Astana"]. FC Astana. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  38. 1 2 "Личные рекорды за 1 сезон" [Personal records ina single season]. FC Astana. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  39. 1 2 "Самые молодые и возрастные футболисты" [Youngest and oldest players]. FC Astana. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  40. ↑ "Real Sociedad y FC Astana firman un acuerdo de colaboración" [Real Sociedad and FC Astana signed a collaboration agreement] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  41. ↑ "Galatasaray, Astana sports clubs plan to step up cooperation". Kazinform. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.

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