Five stars from the UEFA Youth League finals: From a midfielder that idolises Gravenberch to an Irish prodigy

Club Brugge captain Laurens Goemaere Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images Share articleThe UEFA Youth League finals in Switzerland has seen some of the brightest young talents in Europe showcase their talent. Over four days in Lausanne, Real Madrid, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge’s Under-19 teams are competing against each other — and the opening matches were not short of action. Club Brugge’s semi-final against Benfica on Friday afternoon saw them win 3-1 but that only told half the story. Benfica’s ultras, the Diabos Vermelhos, turned up and set off flares throughout the game. It ended with a chaotic final few minutes that saw two red cards during stoppage time and a full-time scuffle between both sets of players resulting in another dismissal for a member of the Benfica coaching staff. In the second semi-final, which was played in front of a crowd of more than 7,000, Real Madrid scored in the 83rd minute to equalise against PSG before coming from behind in the penalty shootout to advance to Monday night’s final. Ahead of Monday’s encounter between Real Madrid and Club Brugge, The Athletic has compiled a list of five players that have stood out so far… Because of the buzz that follows him around, it was difficult to take your eyes off Yanez. The 19-year-old, playing on the right wing, was one of the best players on the pitch against PSG and you can see why he has already made the step up to Real Madrid’s first team this season, coming off the bench in March during a 4-1 win over Elche. The quality he showcased, whether it was in attacking situations or picking the ball up in a deeper position and making something happen, was undeniable. There were times he let his frustrations show, most notably when he didn’t receive a pass from striker Jacobo Ortega when he was alone in the area, but that should not detract from his performance. In the penalty shootout, he stepped up after Real Madrid had missed their first spot-kick, and calmly slotted it past PSG’s Martin James. Do not be surprised if you start seeing and hearing more about Yanez in the coming months. One of the reasons it took Real Madrid until the 83rd minute to equalise was because they kept running into a brick wall in the heart of PSG’s defence. And that wall was Coulibaly, the 18-year-old centre-back. Dominant in the air and on the ground, he was at the heart of everything PSG did well defensively. Not only that, his calmness was crucial to helping his side build from the back. Against a potent Real Madrid attack, with Yanez on the right, Ortega through the middle and Alexis Ciria on the left, Coulibaly was brilliant and was only dribbled past once. Before he was substituted in the 79th minute, he had made three interceptions, four clearances, and won a combined 10 aerial and ground duels. The Club Brugge captain is the heartbeat of his team. Playing in midfield, Goemaere delivered a brilliant all-round performance. He was superb in possession, completing 24 of his 28 passes, nine of which were in Benfica’s half, and was equally effective going the other way, where he won three tackles and made six clearances. A regular starter for Club Brugge’s B team in the Challenger Pro League, Goemaere is not the most physically imposing midfielder, especially when contrasted to Benfica’s Tiago Freitas, but he ran the match and controlled its tempo. He told The Athletic that he looks up to Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Sergio Busquets, the former Barcelona and Inter Miami midfielder. Although the 20-year-old missed his first-half penalty, he scored the rebound and had the gumption to celebrate in front of Benfica’s ultras, which saw plastic cups thrown his way. In a rather bizarre Benfica performance, where they dominated large parts of the game — especially the first half — but still lost, Umeh was one of their better players. Playing on the left wing, he was a constant threat, whether that was by hugging the touchline and cutting inside or being a nuisance in the penalty area. Even though only two were on target, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, who made his Cork City debut at the age of 15 and became the Irish club’s youngest ever player, ended the match with nine shots, more than any other outfield player, and accounted for nearly a third of Benfica’s 30 attempts. The match will undoubtedly be remembered for the chaotic scenes at full-time but Umeh showcased plenty of potential and continually tried to turn the tide for his team when it was clear they were going to lose. In Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid have had one of Europe’s best goalkeepers since he joined them from Chelsea in 2018. Aged 33, the Belgian still has plenty of years ahead of him but in Friday night’s semi-final against PSG, Navarro showed the future is bright in that position for the Spanish club. Notwithstanding the six saves he made during the match, including one to prevent a certain PSG winner late on, he was the hero of the shootout, stopping three PSG penalties. You could make a very strong case that he was the best player on the pitch. One bigger picture issue for Navarro is that Fran Gonzalez, who is highly thought of at the club, is above him in the pecking order and was most recently with the first team during their Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. Gonzalez, however, could leave if Courtois and Andrii Lunin, Real Madrid’s second-choice goalkeeper, stay at the club, possibly opening the door for Navarro to push on. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Dan Sheldon is a football news correspondent for The Athletic. He has previously covered Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Southampton FC. Follow Dan on Twitter @Dan_Sheldon_