UE Santa Coloma

UE Santa Coloma
Full nameUnió Esportiva Santa Coloma
Nickname(s)UE
Esquirols (Squirrels)
Groc-i-negres (Yellow and Black)
Founded1986; 38 years ago (1986)
GroundAndorra Football Federation stadiums
ChairmanJoan Antoni Antón
ManagerBoris Antón
LeaguePrimera Divisió
2023–24Primera Divisió, 1st of 10 (champions)
Websitehttp://www.uesantacoloma.com

Unió Esportiva Santa Coloma, also known as UE Santa Coloma, is an Andorran professional football club based in the village of Santa Coloma, Andorra la Vella. The club currently plays in Primera Divisió.

History

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UE Santa Coloma was founded on 23 September 1986 in the village of Santa Coloma. In 1996 the club established a football academy to give a qualitative leap in the field of sports in the country. During few seasons the club acted as farm team for many Andorran teams including FC Santa Coloma. The first football department team was refounded, after being inactive many years, in 2006 by joining the Andorran football league Segona Divisió the following year.[1]

The team plays in the Primera Divisió after winning the Segona Divisió in the 2007–08 season. The club made its first appearance in European competition in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League after finishing second in the league in the 2009–10 season.

In 2013 the team won his first trophy in the Copa Constitució after defeating 3–2 Sant Julià in the average time.[2] Three years later UE Santa Coloma was crowned again as Andorran's Cup winner after defeating 3-0 UE Engordany in 2016.[3]

On 16 July 2024, the club earned their first win in European competition by beating Ballkani from Kosovo in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League. On 14 August 2024, after losing their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie against FK RFS, they qualified for the play-off round of UEFA Conference League so they became the first ever Andorran side to reach the play-off stage of a UEFA club competition.

Colours and badge

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Yellow has been the traditional UE Santa Coloma color. Manly of the home kits alternate yellow and black. Even then in its beginnings the club dressed up the colors of the parish of Andorra la Vella, green and navy, and occasionally wearing an orange kit during some seasons.[4]

Until 2013 the badge was representing Santa Coloma's pre-romanical church tower and the most traditional team icon, the squirrel. The nowadays crest still represent the icons of UE Santa Coloma, featuring the club colours (yellow and black) and the year of foundation (1986).

The club have an alternative badge (main crest during the first leg of the 2013–14 season) representing the Santa Coloma's squirrel and the colours of the Andorran nation with the motto's country "Virtus Unita Fortior".

The Santa Coloma's church, a symbol of the club.
Old badge (until 2013).
Alternative badge.
Original first kit.
2013–14 home kit.
2014–16 home kit.
Period * Kitmaker Kit sponsor
2007–12 Joma Escale
2012–18 Seguretat Sepir
2014–18 Luanvi
2018–present Joma None

* Since the Andorra Football Federation affiliation.

Support

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The club's nickname, as seen from the crest, is Esquirols (Squirrels) due to the number of the animals that live around the town of Santa Coloma. There is a long-standing tradition for a number of fans to wear squirrel costumes at the club's last home game of each season.

Club rivalries

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El Derbi Colomenc

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The local rival of UE Santa Coloma is actually their neighbour's hometown football team FC Santa Coloma. The rivalry between these two teams has increased since the 2009/10 season when those teams were competing for winning the Premier Andorran League.[5]

Honours

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League history

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Season Division Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P
2007–08 Segona Divisió 1 16 14 2 0 66 11 44
2008–09 Primera Divisió 5 20 12 3 5 65 31 39
2009–10 Primera Divisió 2 20 13 4 3 50 26 43
2010–11 Primera Divisió 4 20 10 0 10 54 27 30
2011–12 Primera Divisió 3 20 10 7 3 61 20 37
2012–13 Primera Divisió 3 20 11 4 5 47 25 37
2013–14 Primera Divisió 2 20 12 3 5 40 24 39
2014–15 Primera Divisió 3 20 12 2 6 33 17 38
2015–16 Primera Divisió 4 20 8 6 6 34 20 30
2016–17 Primera Divisió 3 27 14 6 7 62 34 48
2017–18 Primera Divisió 5 27 12 5 10 53 29 41
2018–19 Primera Divisió 6 27 8 8 11 33 32 32
2019–20 Primera Divisió 5 24 11 6 7 34 26 39
2020–21 Primera Divisió 6 20 9 3 8 44 27 30
2021–22 Primera Divisió 2 27 13 8 6 37 26 47
2022–23 Primera Divisió 4 28 10 12 6 40 29 42

European results

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Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 1QR Montenegro Mogren 0–3 0–2 0–5
2011–12 UEFA Europa League 1QR Hungary Paks 0–1 0–4 0–5
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 1QR Netherlands Twente 0–3 0–6 0–9
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1QR Bosnia and Herzegovina Zrinjski Mostar 1–3 0–1 1–4
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1QR North Macedonia Metalurg Skopje 0–3 0–2 0–5
2016–17 UEFA Europa League 1QR Croatia Lokomotiva 1–3 1–4 2–7
2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1QR Croatia Osijek 0–2 0–4 0–6
2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1QR Iceland Breiðablik 0–1 1–4 1–5
2024–25 UEFA Champions League 1QR Kosovo Ballkani 1–2 2–1 (a.e.t.) 3−3 (6–5 p)
2QR Denmark Midtjylland 0–3 0–1 0–4
UEFA Europa League 3QR Latvia RFS 0–2 0–7 0–9
UEFA Conference League PO Iceland Víkingur Reykjavík 0–0 0–5 0–5
Notes
  • PR: Preliminary round
  • QR: Qualifying round
  • 1QR: First qualifying round
  • 2QR: Second qualifying round
  • 3QR: Third qualifying round
  • PO: Playoff round

Current squad

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As of 15 September 2024

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Juanpe Navarro
2 MF Andorra AND Jesús Rubio
3 DF Spain ESP Marcos Blasco
4 DF Andorra AND Christian García
5 DF Spain ESP Miguel López
6 MF Spain ESP Youssef El Ghazoui
7 FW Spain ESP Jorge Bolívar
8 MF Spain ESP Andrés Mohedano
9 FW Spain ESP Víctor Tellado
10 MF Spain ESP Modric
11 FW Spain ESP Joaquinete
13 GK Spain ESP Álex Ruiz
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF Andorra AND Àlex Martínez
17 MF Andorra AND Dacu
18 DF Spain ESP Jorge Valín
20 DF Spain ESP Eric Ruiz
22 FW Spain ESP David Virgili
23 FW Paraguay PAR Franco de Jesús
27 FW Spain ESP Bilal El Bakkali
30 FW Spain ESP Óscar Fernández
33 FW Spain ESP David Martín
48 DF Spain ESP Chete
DF Portugal POR Luca Pereira
MF Spain ESP Marc Castells
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References

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  1. ^ "UE Santa Coloma » Historia".
  2. ^ "FAF - l'UE Santa Coloma es proclama campió de la Copa Constitució 2013".
  3. ^ "FAF - l'UE Santa Coloma, campió de la Copa Constitució 2016 (3-0)".
  4. ^ "L'escut i els colors | U.E. Santa Coloma". www.uesantacoloma.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-21.
  5. ^ "BonDia Diari digital d'Andorra".