Athletic Youth Teams Win 3 Preseason Tournaments Over Impressive Weekend
Athletic Juvenil B celebrate their cup final victory over Almeria (AC)
Lezama is highly regarded throughout the world as one of the best youth academies in all of football. Naturally, Athletic youth teams are invited to participate in tournaments every summer and this weekend three groups competed and won preseason cups with impressive performances.
Athletic’s Juvenil A team participated in the Torneo Juvenil Noble Villa de Portugalete which included other clubs like Barcelona, Eibar, Alavés, and Racing. The Kumeak defeated a Portugalete selection followed by Racing to book their place in the final where they beat Alavés 3-0 to lift the cup. Juvenil A didn’t concede a single goal throughout their three matches and captain Kepa Uriarte was recognized as the tournament’s best player.
Likewise, Athletic’s Juvenil B team didn’t have to travel very far either as they competed in the 7th edition of the Torneo de Feria de Fútbul hosted by La Cañada Atlético. The opening match against the hosts would finish 2-2 but Athletic managed to advance on penalties. Athletic would then defeat Almeria 1-0 in the final to win their own cup.
Lastly, Athletic’s Cadete A team flew all the way to St. Petersburg for the Morozov Cup where they were beaten in last summer’s final by Benfica. The Kumeak topped their group with wins over Olympiacos, Juventus, and a draw against Zenit before defeating RB Leipzig 1-0 to set up a rematch with Benfica in the final on Sunday. It was another difficult match for Athletic who beat Benfica 1-0 to lift the cup in Russia.
It’s been a truly spectacular weekend for Lezama. Not only did all three youth teams win their cup tournaments, but CD Basconia also kicked off their league campaign on Saturday with a 3-2 win over Sodupe. Bilbao Athletic will get their season underway on Sunday evening with a trip to Haro Deportivo where a win would put the finishing touches on a perfect weekend.