UEFA Youth League final report: Club Brugge 1-1 Real Madrid (Madrid win 4-2 on penalties)

Real Madrid secured their second UEFA Youth League title by pipping Club Brugge in Lausanne after the first of the competition's 12 finals to go to penalties.

Jacobo Ortega gave Madrid a deserved lead midway through the first half, but Tian Koren set up Tobias Lund Jensen to equalise in the 64th minute. That meant a shoot-out and Javier Navarro, Madrid's goalkeeping hero when they beat Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Friday's semis, shone again with two saves as Madrid became only the third multiple winners of this competition.

Match in brief: Madrid hold their nerve

Club Brugge were unchanged from Friday's semi-final win against Benfica, while – having knocked out Paris Saint-Germain on penalties here three days ago – Real Madrid brought in left-back Álvaro Lezcano and moved Diego Aguado into the centre in place of Víctor Valdepeñas.

Daniel Yáñez had the first real opening for Real Madrid, curling a shot wide after 11 minutes. He then curled an effort on target five minutes later, but Argus Vanden Driessche dived to save, and the Club Brugge keeper also was in the way at the near post after a mazy run by the lively Madrid right-sided forward.

Indeed, Daniel Yáñez soon played his part in the Spanish side's opener, finding Jesús Fortea to send a deflected cross into the path of Jacobo Ortega, who coolly back-heeled in. Jacobo Ortega almost immediately added a second but was denied by a defensive block, and he then shot wide from a tight angle.

Club Brugge had conceded only six goals in their ten-game run to the final, including six clean sheets, and they managed to keep the deficit to 1-0 at half-time, whereupon they introduced Naim Amengai, who had been suspended for the semi-finals. They quickly began to offer more of a threat, with Tian Koren only just missing the target after a solo run, before Lucas Delorge – also banned on Friday – was introduced on the hour.

Javier Navarro followed his three semi-final shoot-out saves with two more to win Madrid the titleUEFA via Getty Images

Four minutes later, Club Brugge were level, Koren surging in from the right and exchanging passes with Andre Garcia before cutting back from the byline for Tobias Lund Jensen to turn in. Soon after, Koren dispossessed a Madrid defender and again ran on goal, only for Javier Navarro to advance and smother.

Madrid substitute Diego Villalba tested Vanden Driessche as Los Blancos looked to restore their lead, yet for the second time at these Lausanne finals, they went into a shoot-out. Javier Navarro stopped three Paris spot kicks in the semis and he kept out Club Brugge's second effort from Amengai and the fourth by Koren, before Diego Aguado converted the winner.

Juan Díaz, Real Madrid reporter

Madrid kept their cool in the shoot-out and converted all four of their penalties, while Javier Navarro saved two. Madrid lost their attacking flow down the right flank after Jesús Fortea was substituted at the break, and Tian Koren caused them problems, but the first shoot-out in Youth League final history went their way.

Brecht Schelstraete, Club Brugge reporter

This was a final that had it all: drama, flair and rock-solid defending, and for Club Brugge an unhappy ending. They came to life in the second half, making the most of a strong spell to find the equaliser after some sublime footwork from Tian Koren set up Tobias Lund Jensen. Penalties, though, are cruel.

Reaction 

Álvaro López, Real Madrid coach: "This outstanding generation of players is one that has made its mark on the youth academy; they are incredibly talented, incredibly dedicated players who embody the values of Real Madrid perfectly. We're very proud of them, especially as they truly deserve [this win].

"What I'm trying to get across to them is that, based on my own experience, they still have a long way to go. They are at the most crucial stage, and they need to keep working with humility and dedication in everything they do – day in, day out. They should carry on like this because they're just a stone's throw away from professional football, and they have to give it their all."

Jonas De Roeck, Club Brugge coach: "This is obviously not a nice feeling, but when this campaign began, this was something we could only dream of. In the second half, we really showed what we are capable of. I am proud of how the lads played as a team. We are disappointed, but the pride is there.

"This is an important experience in the growth of these players, which will help them in the future. I am certain that the players will look back on this with pride later on."

Jorge Cestero, Real Madrid midfielder: "It's a source of pride; it's the result of a whole year's hard work. It is a competition that is very difficult to win – we knew that – but I think we deserved it. We had been doing things right and, in the end, we managed to pull it off.

"We dominated quite a bit in the first half; it's true that we struggled a bit more in the second, but anyway, we knew we are good at penalties. We have got a goalkeeper who is absolutely brilliant, and we knew we were going to win."

Mohamed Galal Elbay, Club Brugge defender: "We can be proud of what we achieved to get here. It is disappointing that we weren't able to win the final, but that's football. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

"A Youth League final isn't something you forget easily. I'm proud that I was able to represent Club Brugge here on the highest stage."

Line-ups

Club Brugge: Vanden Driessche; Elbay (Braspenning 87), Verlinden, Wins (Delorge 60), Garcia; Okon, Goemaere, Da Silva (Amengai 46); Jensen (Bisiwu 90+1), Musuayi, Koren

Real Madrid: Javier Navarro; Jesús Fortea (Melvin Ukpeigbe 46), Joan Martínez,  Diego Aguado, Álvaro Lezcano, Alvaro Lezcano; Diego Martínez (Diego Villalba 71), Cestero (Marcos Viega 83), Carlos Díez; Daniel Yáñez, Jacobo Ortega, Alexis Ciria (Liberto Navascués 77)

Key stats

• Madrid became only the third multiple winners of this competition after Barcelona (three titles) and Chelsea (two).
• In the 90 minutes, Madrid had 21 attempts on goal to Club Brugge's five.
• Club Brugge were the first Belgian team to reach the final. Indeed, they were the first Belgian club to play in a UEFA competition final since Action 21 Charleroi won the 2004/05 UEFA Futsal Cup.