FCAndorra celebrates its 84th anniversary this Thursday, remembering a history of ups and downs that has led the club to consolidate itself in the Spanish second division. In an exclusive interview, Jesús Julián Lucendo, former tricolor player who debuted with the Barça first team under the tutelage of Johan Cruyff, shares his memories and the evolution of the club from its beginnings in 1942 to the present.
Lucendo arrived in the Principality in 1991, when the team was competing in Second B and had great aspirations. “The club had a very simple structure, with a president and a board of directors, but the management was very different from what we see today,” he explained. “Today the organization is much more professional and each person has clear responsibilities.” At that time Andorra had competitive squads, with players from teams such as Barça, Racing de Santander and Zaragoza, but "they lacked a little luck" and "we lost games due to small details", which prevented them from achieving promotion to the Second Division.
One of the most emblematic moments in the club's history was the 1994 Catalunya Cup, when Andorra eliminated Barça and beat Espanyol in the final on penalties. Lucendo remembers that, although the competition already included professional teams, the victory was an important milestone and a source of pride for the club. “It was a great achievement, although there were no official celebrations in the country,” he commented. The former player also reflected on his own debut with Barça in 1989, highlighting that the experience marked him both athletically and personally and helped him grow as a professional.
In the following years, the club went through a serious economic and institutional crisis that threatened its continuity. Lucendo, along with Justo Ruiz, became involved as an assistant to find a new group of people in charge who could save the team. “There was a time when the club disappeared, because there was no management and everyone left,” he confessed. Thanks to the efforts of the community and the arrival of new leaders, Andorra managed to overcome the crisis and continue its trajectory in Spanish football.
FCAndorra, today in the Second Division, continues to be a benchmark for football passion in the Principality. Lucendo, who now lives in Andorra with his family, believes that the club changed his life and that his legacy lives on in the community. With an eye toward the future, the club continues to work to consolidate its position in professional football and continue offering moments of pride and excitement for its fans.