CS Fola Esch
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| Full name | Cercle sportif Fola Esch | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1906; 111 years ago | ||
| Ground |
Stade Émile Mayrisch, Esch-sur-Alzette | ||
| Capacity | 3,900 | ||
| Chairman |
 Gérard Lopez | ||
| Manager |
Jeff Strasser | ||
| Coach | Cyril Serredszum | ||
| League | Luxembourg National Division | ||
| 2016–17 | Luxembourg National Division, 3rd | ||
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Sporting Circle Fola Esch (French: Cercle sportif Fola Esch), usually abbreviated to Fola Esch or simply Fola, is a football club, based in Esch-sur-Alzette, in south-western Luxembourg. They play their home games at Stade Émile Mayrisch, in the south of the city, which they share with their sister athletics club CA Fola Esch.
History
Founded in 1906 by the English language teacher Jean Roeder, Fola was the first football club in Luxembourg. During its heyday, it was the best club in the country, winning four National Division championships and two Luxembourg Cups between 1918 and 1924. Fola won another championship in 1930 and the Luxembourg Cup in 1955, but has since this time lost its place in Luxembourg's top flight.
Fola stubbornly rejected a merger with its larger neighbours, Jeunesse Esch, during the wave of consolidation in the 1990s. In 2004–05, Fola was relegated to the third tier of Luxembourgian football, but were promoted the following season. In 2006–07, they finished third, qualifying for a promotion play-off, which they lost to Victoria Rosport. In August 2007, Fola pulled off a transfer coup by signing former Morocco midfielder Mustapha Hadji.
In 2008, the club managed to secure second place in the championship, granting them promotion to the Fortis League (National Division, the top league in the country, renamed BGL League in march 2009 due to the financial crisis).[1]
In May 2013, CS Fola Esch wins the championship in the BGL Ligue at the 25th playday with a historical result of 5–1 against their rival Jeunesse Esch. The club had to wait 83 years since their last championship. Stefano Bensi scored 20 goals during this season. Fola participated at the second qualifying round of the Champions League 2013–14 but lost to Dinamo Zagreb 0–5 in the first leg (at home) and 0–1 in the second leg (away). In 2015, Fola wins another championship, finishing vice-champion in 2014 and in 2016, the latter at equal points with the champion F91 Dudelange.
In 2016 CS Fola Esch, celebrated their 110th birthday, and also became a member of the exclusive Club of Pioneers, as the oldest football club of Luxembourg.
Name History
- 1906: Club founded as Football and Lawn Tennis Club Esch
- 1907: Adopts current colours of red and white stripes
- 1910: Absorbs FC Nerva, becoming Cercle sportif Fola Esch
- 1918: Wins first championship title
- 1924: Wins the Double
- 1930: Wins last championship title for the next 83 years
- 1935: Moves to current stadium, Stade Émile Mayrisch
- 1955: Wins Luxembourg Cup, last title before a long lean period
- 1973: First participation in European competition (season 1973–74)
- 2013: Wins first championship since 83 years, followed by another champion title in 2015
- 2017: First qualification to the second round and to the third round in European competition
Honours
- Winners (7): 1917–18, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1929–30, 2012–13, 2014–15
- Runners-up (9): 1916–17, 1918–19, 1920–21, 1928–29, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1954–55, 2010–11, 2013–14
- Winners (3): 1922–23, 1923–24, 1954–55
- Runners-up (1): 1972–73
European competition
- As of 11 July 2017[2]
| Rank | Country | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 317 |  |
FK Mladost Podgorica | 3.550 |
| 318 |  |
NK Široki Brijeg | 3.550 |
| 319 |  |
FC Irtysh Pavlodar | 3.550 |
| 320 | |
CS Fola Esch | 3.475 |
| 321 | |
FC Differdange 03 | 3.475 |
| 322 |  |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 3.425 |
- As of match played 3 August 2017
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| UEFA Europa League | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Total | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 38 |
Matches
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–74 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | Beroe Stara Zagora |
0–7 | 1–4 | 1–11 |
| 2011–12 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Elfsborg |
1–1 | 0–4 | 1–5 |
| 2013–14 | UEFA Champions League | 2Q |  Dinamo Zagreb |
0–5 | 0–1 | 0–6 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Göteborg |
0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| 2015–16 | UEFA Champions League | 2Q | Dinamo Zagreb |
0–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Aberdeen |
1–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Milsami Orhei |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| 2Q |  Inter Baku |
4–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | ||
| 3Q | Östersund |
1–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 |
Current squad
- As of 19 July, 2017.[3]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Former coaches
- Michael Lofy (July 1, 2008 – March 23, 2009)
- Pascal Welter (caretaker) (April 13, 2009 – Oct 26, 2009)
Hippolyte Dangbeto (caretaker) (2009).svg.png)
Philippe Guérard (Oct 26, 2009 – Oct 31, 2010)- Jeff Strasser (Nov 2, 2010–1?)
Cyril Serredszum (Dec 22, 2010 – June 30, 2012)- Jeff Strasser (1 July 2012–present)
External links
References
- ↑ Luxembourg 2007/08 – RSSSF
- ↑ "UEFA coefficients". UEFA.com. UEFA.
- ↑ "CS Fola Esch - Seniors I". CS Fola Esch. Retrieved 3 June 2016.