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They conquered Europe once before with the Juvenil A squad, and now Castilla aims to do the same. From Lausanne to London, and now to Wycombe’s Adams Park, the reserve team seeks to lift the Premier International Cup for the first time. This competition pits the 16 best English academies against 16 “select” teams from across the continent—a true Super League of youth sides. Madrid has never played in it until now. Today, they aim to hit the jackpot.
López de Lerma and the squad landed in England today after training at Valdebebas. They traveled without Thiago (who is focusing on Thursday’s match against Oviedo), without the suspended Fortuny, without Fran González (Mestre will replace him in goal, as he did recently for Castilla with success), and without Joan Martínez. But the rest of the team is nearly at full strength.
With Palacios, David Jiménez, and Cestero—heavy artillery for what could be the second Spanish triumph in the competition (Villarreal B won the second edition). From a Clásico clash to seeking glory. They are accompanied by captain Manuel Ángel and the sharp Yáñez.
However, the lineup will rotate heavily (Castilla has a match against Arenas on Sunday, plus the return leg of the Real Madrid C team’s playoff), and meritocracy will be key. The goal is to reward talented performers like Bruno Iglesias, who has been vital. He scored the first goal to beat Wolverhampton, provided two assists against Dinamo Zagreb in the semifinals (setting up Aguado for 0-1 and scoring the 1-2), and then contributed two more to break Manchester’s dreams (assist for 2-1 and scored 2-2; later Barroso and Mesonero finished it off in extra time).
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Cherif Fofana is the youngest of the group—proof of a huge breakout. The 16-year-old defensive midfielder has accelerated through the ranks at lightning speed, making his Castilla debut at Old Trafford and then his Primera RFEF debut in Cáceres. He arrived last summer from México Paracuellos and, in less than a year, has become one of the signings of the season. He traveled to England yesterday while also celebrating his call-up to the European Under-17 Championship.
**The Opponent**
Facing them is a Dortmund side with endless bite—a very German team. They excel at high pressing, suffocating opponents until they crack, then finishing them off. They boast several gems with Bundesliga experience and a very recognizable face: Ousmane Diallo. The Canary Islands winger, a Spain U19 international who arrived from Alavés in 2023, is one of the brightest jewels in the Borussen ranks. He tore apart Real Sociedad in the semifinals and now threatens Madrid. Only one can remain.
**Squad**
Goalkeepers: Sergio Mestre and Súnico.
Defenders: David Jiménez, Fortea, Mario Rivas, Lamini, Valdepeñas, Diego Aguado, and Manu Serrano.
Midfielders: Cestero, Cristian David, Cherif, Manuel Ángel, Mascaró, and Bruno Iglesias.
Forwards: Yáñez, Rachad, Zúñiga, Palacios, and Liberto.
