Zürich Derby

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Zürich Derby
LocationZürich
TeamsGrasshopper Club Zürich
FC Zürich
First meetingGrasshopper 7–2 FC Zürich
(28 November 1897)
Latest meetingGrasshopper 2–1 FC Zürich
(28 January 2024)
Next meetingTBA
StadiumsLetzigrund, Hardturm
Statistics
Meetings total254
Most winsGrasshopper (122)
All-time recordGrasshopper: 122
FC Zürich: 92
Drawn: 39
Largest victoryGrasshopper 11-2 FC Zürich
(6 December 1942)
FC Zürich 6–0 Grasshopper
(7 August 2011)

The Zurich derby is a football match between rivals FC Zürich and Grasshopper Club Zürich. The two teams were founded in Zürich, Switzerland. Grasshopper in 1886 and FC Zürich in 1896. Grasshoppers are historically known as the club of the elite, students and Zürcher upper-class and FCZ are known as the club of the working-class. The derby is unique in Switzerland as it is the only rivalry between two teams from the same city.

The first derby between the two Zurich clubs was held as part of the first Swiss championship, where GC defeated FC Zurich 7–2.

Notable matches[edit]

3 March 2004[edit]

One of the most notable matches was the semifinal of the 2003–04 Swiss Cup. An early goal by Daniel Gygax and a disgraceful own goal by Reto Ziegler saw FCZ leading 0–2 after only eleven minutes. Mladen Petric managed to bring GC on the board in the 37th minute (2–1), but Gygax brought the half-time score to 1–3 in favor of FC Zurich.[1]

After the break, Eduardo let GC hopes flare up again in the 57th minute (2–3). These hopes were quickly dashed by Daniel Gygax, who scored his 3rd goal of the match (2–4), and Cesar within two minutes shortly after. Cesar would receive his second yellow of the game due to excessive celebration and was sent off, but with a score of 2–5 in favor of FCZ, the match seemed over nonetheless. However, GC managed to rally, especially around Eduardo, who brought them back to a one-goal difference with two goals, his 2nd and 3rd of the match, in the 83rd (3–5) and 89th minute (4–5), respectively. GC's pressure did not let off and in the 90th minute Petric managed to score a rebound off FCZ goalkeeper Taini to equalize the game (5–5).

Five minutes into extra time, Richard Nuñez managed to bring GC in the lead for the first time of the match with an exceptional lob over goalie Taini. In the 106th minute, referee Urs Meier failed to call an obvious penalty for FCZ and in the following GC managed to win the game with a final score of 6–5 after extra time. GC advanced to the Cup Final, where they lost 2–3 to FC Wil.

7 August 2011[edit]

This match of the 2011–12 Swiss Super League went down as FC Zurich's highest derby victory to date. FC Zurich were clearly the better team and quickly took the upper hand. FCZ captain Silvan Aegerter opened the score in the 15th minute. Despite dominating and a long-distance shot by Dusan Djuric that hit the post, the first half ended with a 1–0 lead for FCZ.[2]

Four minutes into the second half, Alexandre Alphonse expanded FCZ's lead to 2-0 and few minutes later (54th minute) Raphael Koch shot the 3–0. GC, unable to mount any sort of reaction, conceded three more times: Admir Mehmedi (67), Stjepan Kukuruzović (77), and Adrian Nikci (87) shot the fourth, fifth, and sixth goal for FCZ, respectively. Six different players shot FCZ's six goals of the match. GC's Bruno Bertucci was sent off in the 86th minute after his second yellow card.

29 November 2015[edit]

Grasshopper's highest derby victory of the 21st century was in this match and is a near opposite of the one four years prior. In the 15th minute, Munas Dabbur is able to take advantage of a colossal error by FCZ defender Berat Djimsiti and brings GC in the lead. Despite many chances for FCZ and a shot on the bar by GC's Shani Tarashaj, the first half ended 1–0.[3]

After a slow start to the second half, Djimsiti fails to block GC captain Kim Källstrom's long pass into the box, where Yoric Ravet easily puts it past the goalkeeper (57th minute). Tarashaj scored seven minutes later (64), after a masterful double pass with Ravet, to make the score 3–0. Another seven minutes later (71), Caio leaves two FCZ defenders behind him and slides the ball past goalie Anthony Favre. In the 91st minute, Källstrom caps off the game with the 5–0.

Statistics[edit]

Records[edit]

Grasshopper's highest win to date was an 11–2 victory over on 6 December 1942. FC Zurich's highest win was more recent, a 6–0 victory on 7 August 2011.

To date, FC Zurich only once managed to win all matchups in one season, 2014–15: 1–0, 3–1, 2–0, and 4–3 in the league and a 1–0 (a.e.t.) victory in the Swiss Cup. Grasshoppers have won all four matchups in season 1997–98: 2–1, 3–1, 2–0, and 2–1.

League Matches played since 1990[edit]

  FCZ Win   Draw   GCZ Win

FC Zürich vs Grasshopper Club Zürich Grasshopper Club Zürich vs FC Zürich
Season Division Date Venue Score Atten. Date Venue Score Atten.
1990–91 Nationalliga A 06.10.1990 Letzigrund
1 – 2
25.07.1990 Hardturm
1 – 2
1991–92 Nationalliga A 26.10.1991 Letzigrund
1 – 1
17.08.1991 Hardturm
3 – 1
Championship Group 03.03.1992 Letzigrund
0 – 2
16.04.1992 Hardturm
3 – 0
1992–93 Nationalliga A 11.08.1992 Letzigrund
0 – 0
31.10.1992 Hardturm
3 – 1
1993–94 Nationalliga A 12.12.1993 Letzigrund
0 – 1
25.09.1993 Hardturm
2 – 0
1994–95 Nationalliga A 22.10.1994 Letzigrund
0 – 3
13.08.1994 Hardturm
2 – 1
1995–96 Nationalliga A 02.08.1995 Letzigrund
1 – 4
22.10.1995 Hardturm
2 – 0
1996–97 Nationalliga A 13.10.1996 Letzigrund
2 – 4
14.07.1996 Hardturm
0 – 1
Championship Group 26.03.1997 Letzigrund
0 – 2
15.05.1997 Hardturm
1 – 1
1997–98 Nationalliga A 20.09.1997 Letzigrund
1 – 2
07.12.1997 Hardturm
3 – 1
Championship Group 15.03.1998 Letzigrund
0 – 2
08.05.1998 Hardturm
2 – 1
1998–99 Nationalliga A 16.08.1998 Letzigrund
0 – 0
08.11.1998 Letzigrund
1 – 2
Championship Group 13.03.1999 Letzigrund
0 – 1
24.05.1999 Hardturm
0 – 2
1999–2000 Nationalliga A 11.07.1999 Letzigrund
0 – 0
25.09.1999 Hardturm
2 – 1
2000–01 Nationalliga A 18.09.2000 Letzigrund
1 – 1
25.09.2000 Hardturm
2 – 3
Championship Group 18.03.2001 Letzigrund
0 – 1
11.05.2001 Hardturm
4 – 2
2001–02 Nationalliga A 25.08.2001 Letzigrund
1 – 3
25.11.2001 Hardturm
0 – 0
Championship Group 25.04.2002 Letzigrund
1 – 1
09.03.2002 Hardturm
3 – 0
2002–03 Nationalliga A 10.07.2002 Letzigrund
1 – 2
22.09.2002 Hardturm
1 – 1
Championship Group 21.05.2003 Letzigrund
1 – 1
16.03.2003 Hardturm
2 – 0
2003–04 Super League 29.10.2003 Letzigrund
0 – 2
17.08.2003 Hardturm
1 – 0
02.05.2004 Letzigrund
0 – 0
14.03.2004 Hardturm
1 – 2
2004–05 Super League 26.09.2004 Letzigrund
2 – 0
17.07.2004 Hardturm
1 – 1
10.04.2005 Letzigrund
1 – 1
17.04.2005 Hardturm
1 – 1
2005–06 Super League 24.07.2005 Letzigrund
4 – 2
02.10.2005 Hardturm
1 – 0
30.04.2006 Letzigrund
2 – 0
29.03.2006 Hardturm
0 – 0
2006–07 Super League 19.08.2006 Letzigrund
2 – 1
14,500 18.11.2006 Hardturm
0 – 1
17,666
24.05.2007 Letzigrund
2 – 0
18,137 10.02.2007 Hardturm
0 – 0
14,900
2007–08 Super League 23.09.2007 Letzigrund
4 – 0
25,200 09.12.2007 Letzigrund
2 – 1
14,300
02.03.2008 Letzigrund
1 – 0
14,400 20.04.2008 Letzigrund
1 – 1
14,300
2008–09 Super League 09.11.2008 Letzigrund
2 – 1
18,300 10.08.2008 Letzigrund
2 – 2
15,900
29.05.2009 Letzigrund
2 – 1
22,500 08.02.2009 Letzigrund
2 – 2
12,949
2009–10 Super League 12.09.2009 Letzigrund
4 – 3
14,800 05.12.2009 Letzigrund
1 – 0
12,200
05.04.2010 Letzigrund
3 – 2
18,200 15.05.2011 Letzigrund
4 – 0
12,200
2010–11 Super League 25.07.2010 Letzigrund
2 – 0
15,800 03.10.2010 Letzigrund
1 – 2
15,200
10.04.2011 Letzigrund
1 – 0
18,600 15.05.2011 Letzigrund
3 – 1
18,200
2011–12 Super League 07.08.2011 Letzigrund
6 – 0
16,800 02.10.2011 Letzigrund
3 – 0 *
12.02.2012 Letzigrund
2 – 0
6,000 20.05.2011 Letzigrund
0 – 1
11,200
2012–13 Super League 22.09.2012 Letzigrund
0 – 1
17,358 02.12.2012 Letzigrund
1 – 0
18,400
06.04.2013 Letzigrund
2 – 4
16,111 12.05.2013 Letzigrund
0 – 1
14,700
2013–14 Super League 15.12.2013 Letzigrund
1 – 1
12,479 30.10.2013 Letzigrund
3 – 1
13,600
01.03.2014 Letzigrund
3 – 1
14,243 05.04.2014 Letzigrund
2 – 0
16,900
2014–15 Super League 20.07.2014 Letzigrund
1 – 0
13,683 19.10.2014 Letzigrund
1 – 3
19,200
29.05.2015 Letzigrund
4 – 3
11,967 21.02.2015 Letzigrund
0 – 2
9,400
2015–16 Super League 02.08.2015 Letzigrund
2 – 3
11,153 29.11.2015 Letzigrund
5 – 0
14,000
19.04.2016 Letzigrund
1 – 1
10,218 13.03.2016 Letzigrund
4 – 2
14,400
2017–18 Super League 21.10.2017 Letzigrund
0 – 4
17,783 23.07.2017 Letzigrund
0 – 2
20,000
07.04.2018 Letzigrund
1 – 1
14,196 25.02.2018 Letzigrund
1 – 0
12,300
2018–19 Super League 02.12.2018 Letzigrund
2 – 0
14,101 28.07.2018 Letzigrund
0 – 2
16,400
08.02.2019 Letzigrund
3 – 1
11,013 05.04.2019 Letzigrund
1 – 1
12,700
2021–22 Super League 21.08.2021 Letzigrund
2 – 1
14,896 23.10.2021 Letzigrund
3 – 3
15,700
02.04.2022 Letzigrund
1 – 1
15,327 05.02.2022 Letzigrund
1 – 3
16,112
2022–23 Super League 23.10.2022 Letzigrund
1 – 4
15,496 01.10.2022 Letzigrund
1 – 1
16,974
21.05.2023 Letzigrund
2 – 1
16,185 19.02.2023 Letzigrund
1 – 2
21,196
2023–24 Super League 26.09.2023 Letzigrund
2 – 1
17,653 01.28.2024 Letzigrund
2 – 1
19,326
10.02.2024 Letzigrund
tbd

Cup Meetings (since 1990)[edit]

Competition Round Date Home team Result Away team
1993–94 Swiss Cup Semi-finals 4 April 1994 FC Zürich
1 – 2
Grasshopper
2003–04 Swiss Cup Semi-finals 3 March 2004 Grasshopper
6 – 5
(a.e.t)
FC Zürich
2012–13 Swiss Cup Semi-finals 17 April 2013 FC Zürich
1 – 2
(a.e.t)
Grasshopper
2014–15 Swiss Cup Quarter-finals 4 March 2015 FC Zürich
1 – 0
(a.e.t)
Grasshopper
2017–18 Swiss Cup Semi-finals 28 February 2018 FC Zürich
2 – 1
Grasshopper

Fan Misbehavior[edit]

In the past years, hooliganism has become a big issue for Swiss football. Incidents such as the Disgrace of Basel in 2006 were becoming more common. The Zurich derby should not be immune to this phenomenon: In a match on 2 October 2011, the situation hit an all-time low. GC Fans had stolen a banner of FCZ fanclub "Boys" and later displayed the defaced flag during the match as provocation. As a result, FCZ fans snuck into the GC fan sector and threw flares at GC fans. In the 70th minute, at a score of 2–1 for Grasshoppers, referee Sasha Kever put a stop to the match when he saw rioting fans cross the barriers and enter the pitch. Dozens were arrested and 6 were injured in the riots. This day was known in Switzerland as "Die Schande von Zürich" (translated "The Disgrace or Zurich"). In the aftermath, Grasshopper were awarded a 3–0 victory.[4]

And the current season, with a return of GC to the top Swiss flight, is no different: On 23 October 2021, after a 3–3 result, FCZ fans threw fireworks into the GC fan sector. Both teams were fined 20,000 Swiss francs, as GC were the home team and responsible for security. Furthermore, FCZ fan sectors are closed for their next two home games.[5]

FCZ fans also disrupted a celebration by GC fans outside Letzigrund following GC's Challenge League victory and promotion, on 20 May 2021. Eleven people were arrested as a result.[6]

Honours[edit]

FC Zürich Competition Grasshopper
13 Swiss Super League 27
10 Swiss Cup 19
1 Swiss League Cup (defunct) 2
0 Swiss Super Cup (defunct) 1
23 Total 49

References[edit]