FC Lahti

Lahti

Full name	Football Club Lahti
Nickname(s)	Mustat kuhnurit(The Black Drones)
Founded	1996(1996)
Ground	Lahden Stadion, Lahti
Capacity	14,500 (7,465 seated)
Chairman	Mika Halttunen
Manager	Ricardo Duarte
League	Veikkausliiga
2023	Veikkausliiga,10th of 12
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Lahden Stadion

Lahden Stadion – Aerial view

FC Lahtiis aFinnishfootball clubbased in the city ofLahti.It currently plays in the Finnish Premier League (Veikkausliiga) after placing first in the Finnish First Division (Ykkönen) during season 2011. The homeground of Lahti isLahden Stadion.Lahti is famous of being the local team of the most successful Finnish player,Jari Litmanen,who played for the club in two stints in 2004 and 2009–10. In his youth years and the start of his career, he played inReipas Lahti.

History

Lahti was founded in 1996 when two rival clubs from Lahti –KuusysiandReipas Lahti(founded inViipuriand moved to Lahti after Viipuri was ceded toUSSRin 1947) – decided to merge. Also, the reserve club Pallo-Lahti was formed, but it was closed down after a couple of seasons due to economic difficulties. Both Reipas and Kuusysi controlled the junior section of the club.

Lahti played its first season in 1997, in the southern group ofYkkönen,the second tier ofFinnish football.It finished second in the first half of the split league format Ykkönen, but was placed third in the final half, behindHakaandPK-35,both of which were promoted toVeikkausliiga.The next season, in 1998, saw success and Lahti finally gained promotion to the highest tier. They were relegated at the end of the 2010 season, but bounced back after just one season inYkkönen.

In the premier division, Lahti has not yet achieved the success of Kuusysi and Reipas. In 2007, Lahti won theFinnish League Cup.In 2008 Lahti was third in the Veikkausliiga final table and was placed in theUEFA Europa Leaguequalification rounds for season 2009. Lahti repeated the success in 2014 by finishing third for the second time in their history. The club qualified to the Europa League qualifiers for the third time in 2018 when the club finished fourth in the table the season before.

Honours

• Finnish League Cup
  • Winners:2007,2013,2016
  • Runners-up: 2004, 2005
• Finnish Cup
  • Runners-up:2002

Crest and colours

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor	Ref
2004	Umbro	Lahti Energia
2005–07	?	?
2008	Umbro	Lahti Energia
2009–17	?	?
2018–21	Umbro	Halton
2022	Adidas

FC Lahti in Europe

Updated 20 July 2018

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Dinamo Tirana	4–1	0–2	4–3
		2Q	Gorica	2–0	0–1	2–1
		3Q	Club Brugge	1–1	2–3	3–4
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Elfsborg	2–2	0–5	2–7
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	1Q	FH	0–3	0–0	0–3

Notes

• 1Q:First qualifying round
• 2Q:Second qualifying round
• 3Q:Third qualifying round

Season to season

Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements 1997 Tier 2 Ykkönen(First Division) South Group Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion Group –3rd 1998 Tier 2 Ykkönen(First Division) South Group Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Group –1st– Promoted 1999 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group – Play-offs 2000 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2001 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 9th 2002 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Upper Group –8th 2003 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2004 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2005 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 2006 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2007 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2008 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2009 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 11th 2010 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 14th Relegated 2011 Tier 2 Ykkönen(First Division) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted 2012 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2013 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2014 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2015 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2016 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2017 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 2018 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2019 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2020 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 2021 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2022 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga(Premier League) Finnish FA(Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegation Group – Play-offs 23seasons inVeikkausliiga 3seasons inYkkönen

Players

Current squad

As of 13 July 2024

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	NGA	Josh Oluwayemi
3	DF	FIN	Daniel Koskipalo
4	DF	FIN	Mikko Viitikko(on loan fromTrelleborg)
5	MF	POR	Bubacar Djaló
6	MF	FIN	Samuel Pasanen
7	MF	NED	Colin Odutayo
8	DF	FIN	Riku Selander
9	FW	ARG	Michael López
10	MF	FIN	Eemeli Virta(vice-captain)
11	MF	FIN	Otso Koskinen
12	DF	AUS	Dylan Fox
15	FW	AUS	Luke Ivanovic
16	DF	FIN	Julius Tauriainen
17	MF	FIN	Tommi Jäntti

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	MF	FIN	Viljami Jokiranta
20	MF	FIN	Marius Könkkölä
21	DF	FIN	Matias Vainionpää
23	MF	FIN	Vilho Huovila
24	FW	FIN	Asaad Babiker
25	DF	FIN	Topias Inkinen
26	DF	BRA	Pablo Andrade
29	DF	FIN	Akseli Puukko
30	GK	FIN	Anton Munukka
31	GK	FIN	Osku Maukonen
—	MF	BIH	Benjamin Mulahalilovic
—	MF	BRA	Luquinhas
—	DF	AUT	Julian Tomka(on loan fromAmstetten)
—	FW	POR	Jordão Cardoso

Out on loan

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	FIN	Eemil Laamanen(atJäPSuntil July 2024)

Management

Updated 27 November 2023.

Name Role Ricardo Duarte Head Coach Edgar Reina Assistant Coach Kari Arkivuo Assistant Coach Mika Heino Fitness Coach Joni Kallioinen Talent Coach Mikko Poutiainen Physiotherapist Erno Jokinen Physiotherapist Pekka Penttinen Kit Manager Janne Kaartti Masseur Jussi Juurikka Team Manager

FC Lahti Akatemia

Main article:FC Lahti Akatemia

Lahti's reserve team played its last season inKakkonenin 2017. After they were relegated toKolmonenfor the 2018 season, the team's activity was taken over by its administrational parent clubKuusysi.

Managers

• Esa Pekonen(1 January 1998 – 31 December 1999)
• Jari Pyykölä(27 August 1999 – 31 December 2001)
• Harri Kampman(1 January 2002 – 31 December 2005)
• Antti Muurinen(1 January 2006 – 10 October 2007)
• Luciano (10 October 2007 – 31 December 2007)
• Ilkka Mäkelä(1 January 2008 – 31 December 2010)
• Tommi Kautonen(1 January 2011 – 4 June 2013)
• Juha Malinen(5 June 2013 – 31 December 2013)
• Toni Korkeakunnas(1 January 2014 – 30 September 2018)
• Sami Ristilä(1 October 2018 – 31 December 2019)
• Ilir Zeneli(1 January 2020 – 23 June 2022)
• Mikko Mannila(26 June 2022 – 31 August 2023)
• Toni Lindberg(31 August 2023 – 20 June 2024)
• Ricardo Duarte(21 June 2024 – present)

External links

• Official website(in Finnish)