July 7, 2026
The 2026 World Cup Finals might still be playing out its last 16 ties, but today saw the official start of the 2026/27 season in Europe with some first legs of the First Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.
Rather than watch Argentina vs Eqypt in the World Cup, Fatbear chose to watch the match between the champions of Gibraltar against the champions of Andorra. Gibraltar were currently 47th in UEFA coefficients, compared to 51st for Andorra, out of 55 countries.
These diaries had previously featured one game from Gibraltar, when Bruno’s Magpies beat Lions Gibraltar 2-0 back in December 2022.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2022/12/fc-brunos-magpies-2-0-lions-gibraltar.html
Inter Club d’Escaldes had appeared once in these diaries, when they participated in the 2021/2022 Champions League Preliminary Qualification tournament, which was held in Albania in June 2021. After beating HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands 1-0, Inter were eliminated after a 0-2 defeat to FC Prishtina from Kosovo.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2021/06/uefa-champions-league-202122.html
Football In Gibraltar
The Gibraltar national side are currently 202nd in the FIFA rankings, and in June they brought an end to a 12-game losing streak with home friendly victories over British Virgin Islands ( 4-0 ) and Cayman Islands ( 4-1 ). Prior to that awful run they had enjoyed being unbeaten in 7 games, having beaten Andorra and San Marino, and drawing with Wales, Moldova, San Marino and Liechtenstein ( twice ).
Gibraltar had in their history also recorded wins over Armenia, Malta, Estonia and Lichtenstein, and draws with Slovakia, Bulgaria, Grenada and Faroe Islands.
Following Manchester 62 failing to be granted a licence, the 2026–27 season of the Gibraltar Football League is expected to be contested by 11 sides, who will play each other twice for a total of 20 games in the regular season. The top 6 will enter the GFL Championship Group, where each team will play each other once to decide the league champion. All matches are expected to be held at the Europa Point Stadium, which has an artificial surface.
Due to the rise in their UEFA coefficient, the top three in 2026/27 will now qualify for Europe as well as the Rock Cup winners.
The league in its current format has only been in existence since 2019, and Europe FC were top of the league when the 2019/20 season was cancelled due to Covid, but the title was not awarded. Lincoln Red Imps had won the subsequent six championships.
Football though, has been played on The Rock since 1905, and prior to the creation of the Gibraltar Football League, Lincoln Red Imps had won 24 Premier Division titles, including 14 consecutive successes between 2003 and 2016, ahead of Glacis United, who had won 17 titles.
Lincoln Red Imps
Lincoln Red Imps were formed in 1976, clearly inspired by Lincoln City in England, who also have The Imps as a nickname, and the Gibraltarian side initially adopted red and white stripes for their colours.
Lincoln have been the most successful side from The Rock in European competitions. They famously beat Celtic 1-0 in 2016 in what was Brendon Rodgers first match in charge of The Hoops, before losing on aggregate, and qualified for the 2021/22 Europa Conference League group stages thanks to victories over Fola Esch of Luxembourg and Latvians FC Riga, but they were defeated in all 6 group matches.
However, last season was their most successful campaign to date. Starting in the Champions League, Lincoln overcame Vikingur from the Faroe Islands 4-2 on aggregate, before being eliminated by Red Star Belgrade. Dropping down to the Europa League, Red Imps won a penalty shoot-out in Armenia against Noah after two draws, but Portuguese side Braga were far too strong in the next round.
Lincoln were unbeaten in their three home Conference League group games, sensationally beating both Lech Poznan from Poland and Czech side Sigma Olomouc 2-1, and drawing 1-1 with Croatians Rijeka. Despite a 0-5 thrashing in Bosnia to Zrinjski Mostar, and 1-3 reverse to Maltese side Hamrun Spartans after taking the lead in the second half, Red Imps were still in with a chance of reaching the knockout rounds going into their final match against Legia Warsaw, but the Polish side exacted some kind of revenge for the Lech Poznan result as Lincoln went down to a 1-4 loss.
Lincoln Red Imps Squad
Star forward Tjay De Barr ( 59 caps ) and formerly of Wycombe Wanderers had recently left the club and signed for Serbian Superliga side OFK Beograd for what has been described as an historic undisclosed fee, although Transfermrkt shows the fee as being €70K.
Fellow striker Nicholas Pozo ( 25 caps ), who scored the winner against Sigma Olomouc, had also left the Red Imps during the summer break and signed for English National League side Boston United. Senegalese forward Boubacar Dabo is now playing for B36 in the Faroe Islands.
Dutch midfielder Nico Pinto had joined from Dutch second level side Top Oss, but all the other new signings were from fellow Gibraltarian sides, including right-back Ethan Jolley ( 44 caps ), Uruguay centre-back Gabriel Cardozo and Argentinian winger Facundo Alvarez from St Josephs, attacking midfielder Leon Mason ( 2 caps ) and Spanish forward Manu Toledano from Mons Calpe, and Dutch keeper Marc Hamm joined from Hound Dogs.
In addition to Jolley and Mason, the recent national squad for the friendlies against BVI and Cayman Islands contained one other Lincoln player, centre-back Bernardo Lopes ( 39 caps ). Players who had represented the national team in the past 12 months included keeper Jaylan Hawkins ( 8 caps ), who had played for Bruno Magpies in the game featured in these diaries in 2022, left-back Ethan Britto ( 46 caps ), midfielder Graeme Torrilla ( 39 caps ), whilst 44 year-old forward Lee Casciaro ( 67 caps ) had now retired from international duty.
Forward Kiko Gomez has dual citizenship with both The Philippines and Spain, winger Toni Kolega is Croatian and had played for HNK Sibernik and Gzira United in Malta and Dutch defender Julliani Eersteling had played for Go Ahead Eagles.
The Lincoln squad also contains a large number of Spanish nationals. Veteran defensive midfielder Joe had also featured in the Bruno Magpies game featured in these diaries, ex-Sporting Gijon, Elche, Real Madrid Castilla and A-League side Wellington Phoenix central midfielder Mandi, ex-Cesena, Foggia, Floriana and Hamrun Spartans centre-back Christian Rutjens, and midfielder Toni Garcia were all regulars in the Europa Conference side last season.
Forward Alex Mula numbered Malaga, Tenerife and Wisla Krakow amongst his former clubs and keeper Nauzet Santana had played in India for Chennai City. Veteran Nano had Cadiz, Oviedo, Panathinaikos and Almeria on his CV.
Football In Andorra
The Andorra national side were currently 172nd in the FIFA rankings, having been as high as 125th in 2005 and as low as 206th in 2011. The nation has only won seven competitive fixtures. In World Cup qualifying they had beaten Macedonia in 2004 and Hungary in 2017, both by 1–0, and twice against San Marino in 2021 ( 2–0 at home and 3–0 away at away ).
Only one European Championship qualifying match has been won, at home against Moldova in 2019 by 1–0, and there have been two UEFA Nations League victories, both against Liechtenstein in 2022 ( 2–1 at home and 2–0 away ).
Friendly victories have been registered over Belarus, Albania, San Marino, Liechtenstein ( twice ), St. Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada. Since 2020, matches had been drawn against Latvia ( three times ), Malta ( twice ), Gibraltar, Moldova, Kosovo, Belarus, South Africa, Estonia and San Marino.
The Primera Divisio was formed in 1996 and currently consists of 10 clubs who play each other three times for a 27-game season. The winners qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the runners-up entering the UEFA Conference League. The third spot in Europe goes to the winner of the Copa Constitucio, or the third-placed side if the cup winner has already qualified.
Apart from FC Encamp, whose ground is owned by their local council, matches are played in six Stadiums owned by the Football Federation, and are allocated on a game-by-game basis by the Federation.
Home matches for the National team, and all European club games are now played at the newly built Nou Estadi a Encamp, which opened in 2025, has a capacity of 5,600 and a hybrid turf surface. It is also the home to FC Andorra, who play in the Spanish Segunda Division and are owned by ex-Barcelona and Spanish international Gerald Pique.
FC Santa Coloma have won the most league titles with 13, followed by current champions Inter Club d’Escaldes with 5 titles, all of which have been since 2020. Last season Inter finished three points ahead of UE Santa Coloma to clinch a second consecutive title.
The start of last season was due to start in mid-September but was delayed due to issues relating to the registration of foreign players, leaving nearly all clubs without the minimum amount of registered players to be able to enter a team. The competition eventually commenced in mid-October.
Inter Club d’Escaldes
Inter Club d’Escaldes were formed in 1995 in the Escaldes–Engordany parish in the south-east of Andorra. Although they were founding members of the Primera Divisio, they initially didn’t have much success and were relegated at the end of the end of the 2014/15 season. Promotion was achieved two seasons later, after which Inter have enjoyed significant success. In addition to 5 league titles, the Copa Constitucio was won three times, and the Supercopa Andorrana four times.
Inter have played in European competitions every season since 2020/21 and four ties had been won. As previously mentioned, a 1-0 victory was achieved over HB Torshavn in the 2021/22 Champions League Preliminary Round, San Marino side La Florita were beaten 2-1 in the 2022/23 Preliminary Round, and after a 0-1 loss to Icelandic side Vikingur Reykjavik, Inter held Romanian side CFR Cluj to a 1-1 draw at home but exited the Conference League 1-4 on aggregate.
In the 2023/24 Europa Conference League, Inter eliminated the Faroese Vikingur 3-2 on aggregate, and then they sensationally beat Scottish side Hibernian 2-1 at home in the next round, but the Scots recovered to win the return 6-1.
The 2024/25 Conference League saw Inter eliminate Bosnian side Velez Mostar 6-2 on aggregate after an astonishing 5-1 home victory following a 1-1 away draw, but AEK Athens comfortably won both legs in the next round.
The 2025/26 campaign also produced some encouraging results. Drawn against Romanian champions FCSB, who won their home tie 3-1, a 2-1 victory for Inter in the return wasn’t enough for the Andorrans to progress. Dropping down to the Conference League, Inter lost 2-4 in Slovenia to Olimpija Ljubljana but managed a 1-1 draw in the return.
Inter Club d’Escaldes Squad
No Inter players were in the most recent Andorra National squad. However, left-back Dacu ( 14 caps ) played earlier in the year against San Marino. Left-back Marc Rodriguez was an Andorra Under 21 international and appears to be the only other Andorran in the Inter squad.
The non-Spanish members of their squad included Brazilian right-back Klebinho, who started his career at Flamengo before going on to play in Japan, Ecuador and Portugal, centre-back Jaouad Erraji was born in Morocco, and centre-back Anwar Hernadez was from Mexico.
Keeper Adria Munoz briefly played non-league football in England for Whitehawk and Lewes, midfielder Juan Camara was a Spanish Under 17 international and played for Barcelona B and Girona, before going on to play in Poland, Romanian and Azerbaijan, keeper Javi Diaz made two appearances for Sevilla and midfielder Antonio Otegui had played for Osasuna and Numancia.
Winger Maurizio Pochettino made one appearance for Watford and is the son of Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentinian defender ( 20 caps ) and the ex-Southampton, Chelsea, Tottenham and current USA manager. Winger Jose Garcia began his career with Osasuna, and Borja Arellano scored 17 goals in the Primera Divisio last season for Inter.
The Inter squad also included Torres, Modric, David Lopez, and Alonso, but unfortunately not the famous internationals ! Defender Jilmar Torres was from Colombia.
New signings include Mali winger Soule Sidibe and midfielder Lamine Diaby, who both joined from Atletico Lleida, and centre-forward Toni Parades, who had recently been playing in the fourth tier in Italy. Moroccan winger Domi Berlanga had signed from Atletic Club d’Escaldes.
Matchday Information
With the reconstruction work at the Victoria Stadium still continuing, this match was being played at the Europa Stadium, which hosted all of the Red Imps home matches in Europe last season. The ground has two large stands, a main one along a touchline and one behind a goal. A cricket field is on the opposite side to the main stand, and several apartments are behind a fence at the other end. There are views of the sea, ships in the harbour and the lighthouse, as well as the ambulance parked on the cricket outfield.
The weather at the 18.00 local time kick-off ( 17.00 UK ) was sunny and 27 degrees.
Tickets for match were priced at £5.
The match was live streamed but without any commentary on Bet365.com, who made Lincoln Red Imps 6/5 favourites with Inter at 9/5 and the draw 9/4
The Red Imps starting XI included just the one player from Gibraltar, although there were 5 on the bench. Eight Spaniards were starting, plus one player from The Netherlands and one from Argentina.
Inter did not have any local players in their starting team, although their two Andorrans were on the bench. They started with 7 Spaniards, plus two Moroccans, a Colombian and a Mexican.
The referee was Joao Goncalves from Portugal.
The Red Imps were playing and red and black shirts, with black shorts and red socks, whilst Inter were in all white with blue trimmings.
Match Report
The start of the match was uneventful as both sides settled in the game until there was a delay following an injury to Lincoln’s Toledano, who was fortunately able to continue.
The first shot on goal came in the 9th minute but Alvarez’s wild left-footed effort was blazed high over the bar from 12 yards. It was a good chance. Inter then broke quickly but a snapshot from Chouaib from 20 yards went a few feet wide.
Shortly after, Toledano and Mandi combined to dispossess Alonso and as the Inter player stayed on the ground injured, the ball rolled to Mula, who shot first time high over the bar from edge of area when he had time to assess his options.
The game burst into life when Toledano tumbled inside the area after a tackle by Jaouad as he cut in from the left and the referee awarded a penalty. It looked a bit soft and the referee chose not to show a yellow card to the Moroccan. Nano stepped up to take the spot-kick and sent keeper Diaz the wrong way with his left footed strike, for the first goal of the European season. It was 1-0 after 16 minutes.
Inter looked to immediately hit-back but a right-wing cross from Pochettino bounced through to the Red Imps keeper. Torres took a long-throw for Inter which was headed away by the dread-locked Eersteling and Lincoln eventually cleared their lines.
Inter’s Chouaib ran clear of the Lincoln back-line but his attempt to lob keeper Santana was easily saved. However, the linesman’s flag was finally raised, and Chouaib was several yards offside.
A rehydration break was taken after 23 minutes, and when the match recommenced, an Inter player trod on the ball, allowing Mula to run to the edge of the Inter area, but his shot lacked power and was easily saved.
Nano then made a surging rundown the left wing and sent a low cross in to the Inter area. Toledano took a touch and then fired into the roof of the net from angle of 6- yard box. The score was now 2-0 with 26 minutes played.
The first yellow card of the game was shown in the 30th minute, to someone on the Lincoln bench but it wasn’t clear to who or why, but was presumably for something said.
Inter’s Berlanga, who looked like he wasn’t wearing any shorts, had a go from 20 yards but the attempt sailed harmlessly high over the bar.
With 32 minutes played, Mula played a ball into the Inter area but Nano just wasn’t able to get a touch to it and keeper Diaz blocked and dived on the loose ball.
Inter then enjoyed a brief spell of pressure but Lincoln defended well and the visitors were unable to create any clear chances.
Modric played a pass into the Lincoln area to Arellano, who was able to turn, but his shot from a narrow angle went into the side netting. Lincoln were then awarded a free-kick 25 yards from the Inter goal after Modric was adjusted to have handled the ball, but Nano’s free-kick was drilled into the defensive wall.
Inter then produced their best move of the game to date as Arellano founded Chouaib, who laid off to Modric, but the left-footed effort from the edge of the area was well saved by Santana diving to his left.
With half-time approaching Lopez won a header close to the penalty spot from a corner, but his effort went straight to at the Inter keeper, who made the catch. At the other end, Berlanga sent a free-kick to beyond the far post but Jaouad could only head high and wide.
Four added minutes were signalled and Mula played a lob over Inter backline, but the ball bounced awkwardly for Alvarez, who was unable to get proper shot away.
Inter took play into the Red Imps half and when Pochettino delivered a low cross from the right-wing, Rutjens slid into to prevent Arellano having a tap in, but only succeeded in diverting the ball past the wrong-footed keeper. The score became 2-1 after 45+2 minutes.
There was still time for Alvarez to have a left footed shot from the angle of penalty area, but keeper Diaz was able to push into air and catch at the second attempt.
At half-time the statistics showed that Inter had 62% of the possession but Lincoln had been by far the more dangerous side and deserved to be ahead. However, Inter’s goal just before the interval would have given them some inspiration.
Indeed, Inter started the second period on the front foot but two moves were halted by offside flags, and Lincoln were having to give away a number of fouls. Seven minutes into the second half, Otegui was denied when his left foot curler from just outside the area hit the bar, and when the ball was reworked back into the Lincoln box, Chouaib air kicked in front of goal.
Two minutes later, a long ball by Lincoln saw Mandi run on to it and into the Inter area, but good defending by Jaouad shepherded the ball through to his keeper.
The first yellow card to a player on the pitch was shown in the 56th minutes when Toledano accidently stepped on the foot of Jaouad, and second card for the Red Imps followed a couple of minutes later when Mandi brought down Torres.
It was now the home side’s turn to apply some pressure. First Lopez saw his volley from the edge of the Inter area blocked for a corner, then Alvarez showed good skill by the left-hand touchline to make space to feed Kiko, who found Nano, but the right foot shot 10 yards out hit the post. The rebound put over the bar by Alvarez but the offside flag had been raised.
Inter substitute Parades almost made an instant impact, running into the Lincoln area on the left, forcing Eersteling to concede a corner, from which Berlanga’s delivery was headed well over the bar by Hernandez.
Lincoln hit back and Pochettino needed to be alert to put the ball off for corner to prevent Kiko getting onto a pass. A scramble ensued at the corner, and when the ball fell to Alvarez he produced a splendid back-heel to send the ball into the corner of the net past the despairing dive of the keeper from the six-yard line for a goal on his debut. It was now 3-1 after 66 mins.
The second drinks break of the game was taken after 68 minutes, and which, Inter sent a long ball down the right-hand channel for Berlanga to run into the area and win a corner. Berlanga took the corner to beyond the back post for Jaouad to head goalwards only for the ball the strike the legs of the struggling keeper on the line and bounce away. When Inter recycled possession, David Lopez hammered a 20 yarder narrowly wide.
With 18 minutes remaining, Inter picked up their first yellow card when Hernandez blocked Kiko from running into area.
A minute later, Camara managed to pull-back from the byline, but Berlanga’s shot from 6 yards needed a brave block from Eersteling to prevent a certain goal. Inter’s appeals for handball were waved away by the Portuguese referee.
Lincoln substitute Jolley made a strong run out of defence and deep in to the Inter half and passed to Ruben Garcia, but Diaz dived onto the low cross just ahead of Kiko. Jolley then sent a long range shot at the Inter keeper.
The final 10 minutes were breathless, end-to-end football. First, Torres hit the far post with a fierce left footed drive from just inside the Lincoln area. Inter were laying siege to the Red Imps area, as a cross was punched away, and another bounced across the penalty area before Nano hoofed away.
Torres hit the woodwork for a second time in two minutes when a left footed in-swinging corner hit the bar with the keeper beaten, and Camara stabbed wide from beyond far post.
Three Inter corners were launched in to the mixer but Santana punched two of them away, and from the third, swift passing on the counter-attack put Garcia clear, who chipped the advancing keeper, but the ball hit the base of the post and rolled along the goal-line until Torres got there first to clear.
Mandi then slid a pass to Kiko but from a tight angle, Diaz saved the shot with his body to concede a corner.
Five added minutes were to be played, and Inter continued to press, but under pressure Parades could only cross on to the roof of the net, then after Berlanga was put behind the Lincoln back-line, good defending by Joe ended the danger.
When the final whistle blew it could have been 4-1 or 3-2 at the end. However, it is still all to play for in the second leg next week, and Inter will fancy their changes after having hit the bar three times and missing some other good chances.
Lincoln Red Imps : Santana – Eersteling ( Jolley ), Lopes, Rutjens, Joe – Alvarez ( R.Garcia ), T. Garcia ( Pinto ), Nano – Mandi, Toledano ( Kiko ), Mula ( Idrissi )
Inter Club d’Escaldes : Diaz – Pochettino ( Diarby ), Jaouad, Hernandez, Torres – Otegui ( Dacu ), Alonso, Modric ( David Lopez ) – Berlanga, Chouaib ( Camara ), Arellano ( Parades )
