The Real Madrid young talents clinched their second UEFA Youth League title on Monday, after an epic final against Club Bruges that will be remembered for years to come.
Carried by a boiling stadium, the Merengues opened the scoring in the 23rd minute thanks to a goal by Ortega, hinting at a comfortable victory. But the Belgians refused to go down without a fight. Lund-Jensen, emerging at the hour mark (64th minute), equalized for both teams and pushed the match towards a penalty shootout.
In the most cruel exercise in football, the young Spaniards managed to keep their cool. Final score: 4-2 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.
This triumph has a special flavor: Real Madrid succeeds FC Barcelona, the title holder, and wins the trophy for the second time in its history after 2020. A beautiful nod between eternal neighbors and rivals.
In the semi-finals, the Madridistas had already made a strong statement by eliminating Paris Saint-Germain on penalties (1-1, 5-4). The new generation of Merengues has truly arrived.
