The UEFA Youth League final in Switzerland has seen some of Europe’s brightest young talents showcase their talents.
For four days in Lausanne, the under-19 teams of Real Madrid, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge compete against each other, and the first matches were not without action.
In Club Brugge’s semi-final against Benfica on Friday afternoon, they won 3-1, but that only told half the story. Benfica’s ultras, the Diabos Vermelhos, They appeared and lit flares throughout the game.
It ended with a chaotic final few minutes that saw two red cards during stoppage time and a full-time fight between both teams of players that resulted in another sending off of a member of the Benfica coaching staff.
In the second semi-final, which was played in front of more than 7,000 spectators, Real Madrid scored in the 83rd minute to draw level with PSG before coming back in the penalty shootout to advance to Monday night’s final.
Looking ahead to Monday’s match between Real Madrid and Club Brugge, The Athletic has drawn up a list of five players who have stood out so far…
Daniel Yáñez, Real Madrid.
Due to the rumor that follows him, it was difficult to take his eyes off Yáñez.
The 19-year-old, who played on the right wing, was one of the best players on the pitch against PSG and you can see why he has already made the step up to Real Madrid’s first team this season, coming off the bench in March during the 4-1 win over Elche.
The quality he showed, whether in attacking situations or picking up the ball in a deeper position and making something happen, was undeniable.
Daniel Yáñez, left, has already made his senior debut for Real Madrid (Jan Kruger – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
There were times when he let his frustrations show, especially when he didn’t receive a pass from forward Jacobo Ortega when he was alone in the box, but that shouldn’t detract from his performance.
In the penalty shootout, he stepped up after Real Madrid missed their first shot and calmly beat PSG’s Martin James.
Don’t be surprised if you start seeing and hearing more about Yáñez in the coming months.
Samba Coulibaly, Paris Saint-Germain
One of the reasons it took Real Madrid until the 83rd minute to equalize was because they kept hitting a brick wall in the heart of PSG’s defence.
And that wall was Coulibaly, the 18-year-old center back.
Dominant in the air and on the ground, he was at the center of everything PSG did well in defense. Not only that, his calm was crucial in helping his team build from the back.
Samba Coulibaly, Paris Saint-Germain defender, right (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Against a powerful Real Madrid attack, with Yáñez on the right, Ortega in the center and Alexis Ciria on the left, Coulibaly was brilliant and was only dribbled once.
Before being substituted in the 79th minute, he had made three interceptions, four clearances and won a total of 10 aerial and ground duels.
Laurens Goemaere, Club Bruges
The captain of Club Brugge is the heart of his team.
Playing in midfield, Goemaere put in a brilliant all-round performance. He was excellent in possession, completing 24 of his 28 passes, nine of which were into Benfica’s half, and was equally effective going the other way, where he won three tackles and made six clearances.
Goemaere, a regular starter for Club Brugge’s B team in the Challenger Pro League, is not the most physically imposing midfielder, especially compared to Benfica’s Tiago Freitas, but he led the game and controlled its pace.
Laurens Goemaere of Club Brugge (Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
he said The Athletic who admires Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Sergio Busquets, former Barcelona and Inter Miami midfielder.
Although the 20-year-old missed his penalty in the first half, he scored the rebound and had the courage to celebrate in front of the Benfica ultras, who saw plastic cups thrown at him.
Jaden Umeh, Benfica
In a rather strange performance by Benfica, where they dominated much of the game (especially the first half) but still lost, Umeh was one of their best players.
Playing on the left wing, he was a constant threat, whether sticking to the touchline and cutting inside or being a nuisance in the penalty area.
Although only two were successful, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, who made his debut for Cork City at the age of 15 and became the Irish club’s youngest player, finished the match with nine shots, more than any other outfield player, and accounted for almost a third of Benfica’s 30 attempts.
The match will no doubt be remembered for the chaotic scenes at full-time, but Umeh showed a lot of potential and continually tried to turn his team’s tide when it was clear they were going to lose.
Jaden Umeh, right, joined Benfica from Cork City in 2024 (Jan Kruger – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Javier Navarro, Real Madrid.
In Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid has had one of the best goalkeepers in Europe since he arrived from Chelsea in 2018.
The 33-year-old Belgian still has many years ahead of him, but in Friday night’s semi-final against PSG, Navarro showed that the future is bright in that position for the Spanish club.
Despite the six saves he made during the match, including one to prevent a last-minute PSG goal, he was the hero of the shootout, saving three PSG penalties.
You could argue very strongly that he was the best player on the field.
Real Madrid’s Javier Navarro celebrates a penalty save against PSG (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
A bigger problem for Navarro is that Fran González, highly regarded at the club, is above him in the pecking order and was recently with the first team during the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
González, however, could leave if Courtois and Andrii Lunin, Real Madrid’s second goalkeeper, remain at the club, possibly opening the door for Navarro to move on.
