Content reserved for subscribers
Promoted to the 2nd league, the FCS will play at the Saint-Léonard stadium and wants to fight for better infrastructure in the neighborhood
The Schoenberg district has 10,000 inhabitants but no sports infrastructure worthy of the name, denounces the co-president of the FCS, Ali Okur. © Jean-Baptiste Morel
Published on 06/23/2024
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
It’s almost 8 p.m. on Saturday in Saint-Léonard. Teenagers invade the synthetic pitch with greenish smoke bombs, the loudspeakers spit “We are the champions” from Queen. This is not entirely true, since it was FC Domididier who lifted the champion cup of 3e league thanks to its victory in the direct meeting between the two promoted teams. But the main thing is elsewhere for FC Schoenberg: its second spell in 2e league is acquired, one year after relegation. “Despite the physical and psychological fatigue, we held on until the end to achieve all our objectives,” rejoices Valon Sefa, the local child who returned to his club. My players believed in my project, showed great play all season and are rightly rewarded.”
The eldest of the Sefa siblings had solid assets on the field, starting with the goleador Sabaudin Ljamalari, author of a 40e and last goal against Farvagny (4-1). But the capital pawn did not have crampons on his feet, assures the FCS coach. “If we are here, it’s thanks to Ali. Without him, we would have nothing to celebrate today.” Ali? Ali Okur, a well-known figure in Friborg football, for having been the captain of Schoenberg then the coach of Guin, in particular.
Moving to the stadium
At 38, the sustainable development project manager at the State of Friborg returned to put his original club in order. “He reorganized everything and laid the foundations for a much more solid committee,” salutes Valon Sefa. It was essential if we wanted to approach the future with ambition. We have to be up to the task, since we are going to represent 40,000 people from now on.” The sentence is far from trivial: FC Schoenberg may have already tried the 2e league in 2022-2023, the formation from the east bank of the Sarine will be for the first time in its history the highest ranked in the city. “With the relegation of FC Fribourg, it’s a transfer of power, we are at the top of the hierarchy,” boasts the coach of the first Mon-Repos team.
“We want to represent 40,000 inhabitants”
Valon Sefa
From Mon-Repos, or rather from Saint-Léonard. For six years, the club has been exported to the synthetic pitch which borders the BCF-Arena, its emblematic lawn in the middle of the buildings not being approved. A bittersweet exile: if artificial billiards is perfectly suited to the FCS possession game, the place is as hostile for opponents (only Domdidier has won) as for spectators. No stands in sight, not even a scoreboard!
Fortunately for Ali Okur and his club, the setting will change in the fall: the first team will play at the Saint-Léonard stadium, alternating with FC Fribourg. “We were able to negotiate this with Erich Schafer, who manages the stadium for the university, and Pierre-Olivier Nobs, the head of the city’s Sports Department,” greets the club co-president. But that’s not entirely enough for his happiness, and that’s an understatement. The UEFA A diploma holder and member of the Team AFF staff recalls that the lungs of any club are the juniors. “This is the real reservoir, the one to which we devote three quarters of the budget. This is all the more true at Schoenberg, where football is a vector of integration and identification.” And they are the ones who need correct infrastructure the most.
Authorities without solution
However, in a club which has just exceeded 300 members for 22 teams, juniors up to category D (14 years old) share the modest Mon-Repos field, before the forced exile in Saint-Léonard from the C . “Terrain, that’s a nice term. Basically, it’s a playground measuring 90 m by 50,” complains Ali Okur. The pair of Astrit Bytyqi at the head of the club do not hide their impatience: for years, even decades, the lack of infrastructure at Schoenberg has been a problem (re)known to the authorities of the city of Fribourg. “It’s not for lack of trying to build new land, but there is no more space available in the neighborhood,” responded the Municipal Council to an (umpteenth) question from two elected officials at the end of 2022 .
As for the plot located under the Poya bridge, prioritized to become the new home of the FCS, it comes up against owners who do not want to hear anything. “The only way to carry out this project would be an expropriation procedure. It would take 10 to 15 years, and it is not even sure, far from it, that it will succeed,” continued the municipal executive a year and a half ago. Answers which do not satisfy Ali Okur, on whose behalf a recommended person will leave this Monday to find out the progress of the authorities’ thoughts. “There are now 10,000 inhabitants in the Schoenberg district,” recalls the Friborg state employee. This alone makes it the fourth city in the canton. What municipality of this size does not have a football field worthy of the name?
Promotions 3e/2e league
Domdidier – Marly 2-1
Schoenberg – Farvagny/O. II 4-1
Richemond – Chevrilles/T. 1-2
1. Domdidier 5 4 0 1 12-7 12
2. Schoenberg 5 4 0 1 14-7 12
3. Dowels/T. 5 3 0 2 9-10 9
4. Marly 5 1 1 3 8-9 4
5. Richemond 5 1 1 3 6-10 4
6. Farvagny/O. II 5 1 0 4 8-13 3
Promotions 4e/3e league
Group A
La Sionge – Beauregard 3-3
Billens – St-Silvestre/P. 6-0
Cugy-Montet II – Villars II 4-1
1. La Sionge 5 3 2 0 14-6 11
2. Villars-sur-Glâne II 5 3 0 2 10-12 9
3. Billens 5 2 2 1 9-3 8
4. Cugy-Montet II 5 2 1 2 8-8 7
5. Beauregard 5 1 1 3 8-8 4
6. St-Silvestre/P. 5 1 0 4 6-18 3
Group B
Gruyère-Lac – Courtepin-M.-C. 2-2
Estavayer – Alterswil 3-0
Gumefens/S. II – Wünnewil/F. II 5-0
1. Courtepin-M.-C. 5 3 1 1 17-8 10
2. Gumefens/S. II 5 3 1 1 12-8 10
3. Gruyère-Lac 5 2 3 0 11-6 9
4. Estavayer 5 3 0 2 12-8 9
5. Alterswil 5 1 1 3 3-6 4
6. Wünnewil-F. II 5 0 0 5 2-21 0
5th/4th league promotions
Group A
Nuvilly – Bossonnens 0-2
Estavayer-le-G. II – Siviriez II 0-0
Riaz II – Châtel-St-Denis III 1-3
1. Estavayer-le-G. II 5 3 2 0 9-3 11
2. Bossonens 5 3 0 2 11-9 9
3. Riaz II 5 2 1 2 9-12 7
4. Nuvilly 5 2 0 3 8-11 6
5. Châtel-St-Denis 5 2 0 3 7-6 6
6. Siviriez II 5 1 1 3 6-11 4
Group B
Central IIa – Friborg II 2-3
Estavayer II – Belfaux II 4-0
Guin IV – Villarepos 1-9
1. Estavayer II 5 4 1 0 20-6 13
2. Friborg II 5 3 2 0 13-6 11
3. Villarepos 5 2 1 2 15-16 7
4. Central IIa 5 2 0 3 18-12 6
5. Belfaux II 5 2 0 3 11-15 6
6. Guin IV 5 0 0 5 6-28 0
