Barcelona won its second UEFA Youth League title in five years after defeating Chelsea 3-0 on Monday. A brace from 17-year-old forward Alejandro Marques put Barca up two by the 51st minute, and the prolific Carles Perez, 20, registered his eighth goal in nine matches to put the finishing touches on the triumph.
Barcelona now join Chelsea as two-time winners of the five-year-old competition. RB Salzburg is the only other club to have lifted the trophy having defeated Benfica in last year’s final.
Barcelona’s UEFA Youth League team was largely comprised of its Juvenil A side — the U19 team which constitutes the final stage of progression through La Masia. However, since the competition is open to all underage players, the likes of Perez and former Montreal Impact phenom Ballou Tabla (usual members of Barcelona B) were also eligible.
Here are three attacking stars of Barca’s triumph that will be looking to break into the first team over the coming years.
Carles Perez in the UEFA Youth League final.
With eight goals in nine matches, including two in the 5-4 victory over Manchester City in the semis and one in the final, no player made more of an attacking impact for Barcelona than Carles Perez.
Carles Pérez 1-0. #FCBMasia pic.twitter.com/FS4MKMwitY
— neurophate (@neurophate_) April 20, 2018
Deployed largely as a winger for Barcelona B, Perez has scored three goals and registered one assist in the Segunda Division. A native of Granollers, a city just 15 miles from the center of Barcelona, he’s a talent that’ll likely get his chance with the first team next preseason.
Carles Perez from Barca B scoring against this beauty against a liga team pic.twitter.com/5K3b15PeLj
— J. (@ElaficionadoFC) August 4, 2017
Alex Collado with the 2018 UEFA Youth League trophy.
Let’s be honest, when discussing Barcelona youth teams, we all want to know one thing: who’s the No. 10 capable of scoring after a run from the halfway line? For this side, it’s Alex Collado.
The 19-year-old native of Sabadell (the home of Sergio Busquets) made a lasting impression during last year’s competition by registering this gobsmacking assist against Porto.
Barcelona Juvenil A 1-1 FC Porto U19 - Abel Ruiz 75' (#YouthLeague). What a Messi-esque pass from Álex Collado. pic.twitter.com/8MSKAVbGuQ
— Ad~ (@Futbaww) March 8, 2017
And he became a much greater influence this time around, scoring four goals in 10 appearances. He notched one in the quarterfinal victory over Atletico Madrid and one in the semis.
¡Enhorabuena @alexcollado por tu gol y por el pase a la Final Four @UEFAYouthLeague de Nyon! #familiAL pic.twitter.com/hwPQvrDJhL
— AL Eventos Deportivos (@aleventosdep) March 14, 2018
Alejandro Marques celebrates a goal against Chelsea in the UEFA Youth League final.
17-year-old Alejandro Marques only made five appearances in this season’s UEFA Youth League, but he managed four goals — all of them coming in the knockout rounds. He scored one against Atletico in the quarters, one against City in the semis and a brace against Chelsea in the final.
A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Marques moved to Spain at an early age and joined Barca’s academy last June.
Gol del venezolano Alejandro Marqués en el triunfo 5-4 del Juvenil A del Barça ante el Manchester City en las semifinales de la UEFA Youth League. La final, el lunes, con el Chelsea como rival. VIDEO vía @MarioSanchezSC pic.twitter.com/Srh0rirfPe
— Esteban Rojas (@EsRojas) April 20, 2018
