Bankrupt Lucerne fight on

Will it be goodbye, FC Lucerne? Keystone Archive

The president of Swiss top division football side FC Lucerne says he is confident the club can still be rescued, despite Monday's decision to file for bankruptcy.

After struggling both on and off the pitch this season, FC Lucerne are facing debts of more than SFr 4 million ($2.45 million), and need to find SFr 2 million by the end of the season if the club is to avoid liquidation.

Despite failing to find the necessary funds in time for Wednesday’s General Assembly, club president Jules Häfliger insisted that a solution could be found.

Confidence

Speaking on Swiss television, Häfliger expressed his confidence in the Task Force founded last week by club officials and members of local government and industry.

“I think the chances are very good,” Häfliger said. “The founding of the Task Force has given us new energy and we’re very grateful for the assistance. The Task Force was only set up on Thursday, and it will take a while to get everything worked out but I’m sure within days we will be able to solve the problems.”

Sponsor pull-out

FC Lucerne’s financial difficulties have been longstanding, but the club was dealt a major blow las week when its main sponsor, Casino Lucerne, refused to act as a debt guarantor.

The club is required by the statutes of the Swiss National Football league to continue paying its players until the end of the season even though its coffers are empty.

In purely footballing terms FC Lucerne’s financial problems are threatening to end in expulsion from the top division. If the club cannot secure sufficient financial guarantees to secure a new league licence, the only option would be to start again with a new team playing in the fifth division.

swissinfo with agencies