Get ready for an electrifying showdown as Borussia Dortmund II and Real Madrid Castilla battle it out for the Premier League International Cup trophy this Tuesday! This annual U21 competition, organized by the Premier League, brings together some of the brightest young talents from across Europe, and this year's final promises to be a thriller at Wycombe Wanderers' Adams Park.
Dortmund's reserve side has been on a roll, topping their group before powering past Everton and Real Sociedad in the knockout stages. Meanwhile, Real Madrid's youth squad remains unbeaten in the tournament, though they've had to dig deep, needing extra time to edge past both Manchester United and Dinamo Zagreb in the previous rounds. It's a testament to their resilience and depth.
There's been a shift in leadership for Los Blancos' youngsters: Álvaro Arbeloa, the former Real Madrid defender, guided the team through the group stage, but Julián López de Lerma took over in January when Arbeloa moved up to the first-team coaching staff. That change hasn't slowed them down, though.
This season's tournament featured 32 teams, including German clubs Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig, both of whom exited in the group stage. Nottingham Forest, the reigning champions, also failed to advance past the group stage, leaving the door wide open for a new winner. Historically, only one German side has lifted the trophy—Bayern Munich in 2018/19—while Porto is the only club to win it twice, also reaching the final in the inaugural season, where they fell to Manchester City in a 1-0 decision sealed by Kelechi Iheanacho.
On the Dortmund sideline, coach Daniel Ríos leads the charge, with veteran Marcel Schmeltzer on the coaching staff before he steps away at season's end. The Black and Yellows are blending U19 and U23 talents for the final, and the age gap is striking: Real Madrid's squad averaged 21 years old in the semi-final, while Dortmund's lineup was just 18.7. Youth and energy against experience—it's a classic clash of styles.
Dortmund will be without Luca Reggiani and Samuele Inácio, both of whom started in Friday's Bundesliga match against Eintracht Frankfurt. But there's plenty of firepower in the 18-man squad, including Almugera Kabar and Filippo Mane, who have tasted first-team action. The full roster for the final: Aaron Held, Julien Froese; Almugera Kabar, Filippo Mane, Elias Benkara, Danylo Krevsun, Luke Fahrenhorst, Enzo Duarte dos Santos, Miguel Adje, Tony Reitz, Ayman Azhil, Justin Hoy, Fadi Zarqelain, Tom Faust, Mathis Albert, Bennedikt Wüstenhagen, and Arne.
Who will lift the trophy? Tune in Tuesday to see the next generation of stars write their names in the history books!