How FC Vaduz, a second division club, qualified for Europe

This season, Swiss second-tier facet FC Vaduz is enjoying within the group phases of a European competitors. In 2020/21, Vaduz completed backside of the Swiss Tremendous League, falling to the Problem League.

But, Vaduz doesn’t have any sort of {hardware} from the Swiss leagues or cups to offer entry into European membership play.

Regardless of enjoying in Swiss leagues, FC Vaduz isn’t a Swiss membership. As an alternative, town of Vaduz is the capital of the tiny state of Liechtenstein. This nation has a land mass of round 60 sq. miles, a amount that will not make it within the top 150 largest cities in the USA. Consequently, the nation which sits sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland, has a inhabitants of 38,000. Comparatively, Huber Heights, OH, is on roughly the same population.

Maybe surprisingly, Liechtenstein’s small nature has its personal soccer federation. Regardless of having a handful of golf equipment, the nation doesn’t have its personal league. But, as a totally acknowledged UEFA member, Liechtenstein does have its personal home cup competitors.

Reaching Europe

Right here is begins to make extra sense. FC Vaduz gained 21 of the earlier 22 home cup finals. It’s the most profitable membership within the competitors with 48 triumphs after the competitors launched in 1945. As a home cup winner, FC Vaduz throws its hat within the ring for qualifiers into European membership competitors.

After all, performing properly within the Swiss League is one other route for FC Vaduz to achieve Europe. Nonetheless, less-than-stellar performances ‘domestically’ and failed makes an attempt within the qualifying section prevented the membership from enjoying within the group stage of any European competitors.

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That every one modified this season. Plus, to make issues more odd, FC Vaduz suffered simply two seasons prior.

Final season, whereas enjoying within the Swiss Problem League, the second tier to the Swiss Tremendous League, Vaduz gained one other home cup in Liechtenstein. This punched a ticket to the second qualifying spherical of the Europa Convention League. Whereas a Champions League membership from a season in the past in Switzerland, Younger Boys, failed to achieve even the Europa Convention League, a staff from a degree beneath them is within the group stage. It’s the identical place as one other Swiss elite, FC Basel, with FC Zürich solely a step up within the Europa League.

FC Vaduz reaches Europe for the primary time

This Cinderella story started within the last week of July this summer time within the second section of Europa Convention League qualifying.

The Lichtenstein membership gained 2-1 on mixture in opposition to Slovenian facet Koper. The win over two legs superior Vaduz to a 3rd spherical tie with Turkish membership Konyaspor. In 2021/22, Konyaspor completed forward of each Besiktas and Galatasaray, ok for third within the Turkish Süper Lig. Vaduz trampled them up by an mixture rating of 5-3.

The ultimate foe earlier than the group stage was Fast Wien, the record-title winners within the Austrian Bundesliga. The golf equipment performed to a 1-1 attract Lichtenstein. Then, an inconceivable 1-nil upset in Austria certified Vaduz for its first ever journey to the group stage of any European membership competitors.

Europa Convention League Group E

After an exciting summer time, F.C Vaduz slotted into Group E within the UEFA European Convention League. Becoming a member of Vaduz are AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, Apollon Limassol from Cyprus and Ukrainian facet SC-Dnipro-1.

Within the Swiss Problem League, Vaduz is struggling. An eight-game winless run of 4 losses and 4 attracts places the membership in ninth out of 10 groups within the competitors.

Nonetheless, not all is dreadful in Lichtenstein. Vaduz grabbed its first European group stage level on the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz. A scoreless draw in opposition to its Cypriot rivals is an efficient consequence for starters.

Vaduz confronted a problem in matchday two, on the street within the Netherlands to tackle the two-time Eredivisie champions, AZ Alkmaar. A 4-1 defeat ensued, however it mustn’t dampen the story advised out of Lichtenstein.

FC Vaduz isn’t the most important facet in Europe’s third-tier membership competitors. But, it is without doubt one of the most compelling plotlines to trace all through the competitors.

PHOTO: IMAGO / GEPA photos