It is finally official, Lugano is gone. This is the 1st time in the history of LN that a team did not finish out the season due to financial difficulties. All of their games have been cancelled. From what I understand though, it is just the 1st team that is no longer in existance. The U-21 and junior teams are still running. So there is still a FC Lugano, but not a top team. Here is the modified standings: 1. Aarau 3 3 0 0 9:1 9 2. St. Gallen 3 1 2 0 6:4 5 3. Vaduz 4 1 2 1 4:7 5 4. Luzern 4 1 1 2 7:9 4 5. Sion 4 1 1 2 3:7 4 6. Kriens 3 1 0 2 4:4 3 7. Delémont 3 0 2 1 4:5 2 A little news about the former Lugano players: Mijat Maric (19) and Alberto Regazzoni (20) have joined Malcantone Agno. Marco Malgioglio (21) and Raphaël Darbellay (22) have signed with Yverdon-Sport!!! Rijat Shala (20) has rejoined GCZ.
Geez, what a pile of crap. Very sad to hear - expected, but sad. WHat about the players who didn't sign with teams? Those poor guys, any front office people layed off?
They continue to practice with the coach until the transfer window opens again. My guess is probably all of them.
The good thing is they can train. Tough break for the the staff. Any chance the team starts up from scratch?
It is possible, but the normal sanctions for this are relegation to the 5th League, which is in actualaty the 7th league. The team then has to climb up the ladder to make it again. I think that a merger with one of the other Tessin clubs would be more likely. FC Lugano's stadium: http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/switzerland/lugano_cornaredo.shtml it seats 15k. Other teams in Tessin: AC Bellinzona 12.740 FC Chiasso 11.168
It's official: FC Lugano becomes AC Lugano. The club will be newly founded next year. It is still unclear wheter the club could start out in the 2nd Amateur Division (4th overall), where FC Lugano currently has its U-21 team. The Swiss FA will have to decide on that. Normally a team would have to start out in the 5th Amateur Division. That would be great. NLB footie could be played once again at the Cornaredo in as little as 2 years...
That sounds like great news. I hope to actually see a few games in Switzerland and I'd love to stay in Lugano again.
Is their any president for this? I can see the LN letting them play in the 2nd League, just for the reason to get a LN team back in Tassin. I imagine this decision will be made in a few weeks, so we should know soon.
From Top11.ch "In a special assembly, FC Lugano, which is currently dead, has deviesed a new name to continue its sports activities:AC Lugano. It is now witht the leaders of amateur soccer to place the "new" luganais club. AC Lugano could start in 5th league, be in the second league or placed ub LNB for next year. A decision is expected before the end of May." This is good news, but I am not too sure giving them a place in LNB next year is a good idea. That sets a precident that if a team goes bankrupt, they can dissolve, and restart the team, under a new name, and remain essentially in the same place on the Swiss league ladder. This is an extreme example, but what would stop a team who is doing very poorly at the gate and on the field from stopping play for the season, if their punishment was only to drop one league? I know that would not happen, if AC Lugano is permitted to stay in LNB, that would set a dangerous example.
I can't see them getting placed in LNB, that would be crazy. I wasn't clear on the "2nd league", what was meant by that. Have they announced team colors yet?
Ladder of Swiss Football LNA LNB 1st league 2nd league 3rd League 4th League 5th League (Last one) The reason that they could be placed in 2nd league is that is where the FC Lugano U-19 team is playing. That was not dissolved when the professional team went under. Normally the 5th league is the penalty. Anything 1st League and under is amateur. There are professional players, but the most part they are amateur. I guess you could compare the 5th league like the local city league. When you get below the LNB, there are different regions for the leagues, to keep travel down. There are: Three 1st leagues Five 2nd Leagues The 3rd -5th leagues are competed on a regional, usually cantonal basis.