Real Madrid’s under-19s have completed a domestic treble by winning Spain’s Copa de Campeones, beating Real Betis 2-1 in the final in Las Rozas on Saturday.
Defender Manu Serrano put Madrid ahead with a spectacular scissor kick in the 14th minute and Santiago van der Putten equalised for Betis before halftime. Forward Gonzalo Garcia won the match for Madrid with an 82nd minute header after some clever wing play by midfielder Nico Paz.
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The result means the team — coached by former Real Madrid, Liverpool and Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa — have won all three available domestic trophies this season after going unbeaten in their league group in the Division de Honor and lifting the Copa del Rey Juvenil, beating Almeria 2-1 in the final in March.
In the UEFA Youth League, they were eliminated by AZ Alkmaar in the quarterfinals.
The annual Copa de Campeones — or Champions Cup — is organised by the Spanish football federation and pits the winners of the seven regional Division de Honor groups, and the best runner-up, against each other in a knockout format to determine Spain’s national champion.
Madrid had not won the trophy since 2017 but are the most successful team in the competition’s history, winning it a total of eight times to Barcelona’s four.
Their elimination of local rivals Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals this month made headlines when Arbeloa clashed with Atletico coach — and former Liverpool teammate — Fernando Torres on the touchline, with Torres being handed a one-match ban.
