Compete to improve

For Easter, some decide to take a few days off to rest and unwind, whilst others take advantage of their time off to enjoy football. Among them are the footballers that took part in the Oviedo Cup, en event that brought with it 8,000 visitors to Asturias and some of the best teams Spain has to offer, such as Atlético de Madrid, Athletic de Bilbao, RCD Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Deportivo La Coruña. Joining them were three teams from Marcet’s High-Performance Academy, putting themselves to the test for the second year running.

Things didn’t go too well at the beginning for the youngsters in Group A, that didn’t manage to get past a tie when facing Athletic Avilés. However, in their second match, the team from Barcelona team won by a comfortable 2-0 against Club Condal, which meant they could dive into the next round headfirst. Next up was Japan United that brought a tough game to the table, but Marcet’s Junior team finally managed to pocket three points, winning 1-0.

With first-place at stake, the team coached by Roberto Cuesta was up against Deportivo La Coruña in the last game of the group stage. The Galicians took control of the game, but Marcet’s defence knew how to hold their game. It was in the last minute of play when a spectacular individual play by one of the players in blue and white tipped the scales by signing off with a 1-0, placing the Galicians on top. Marcet went into the next round playing Deportivo Alavés in the quarterfinals. The Basques managed to take charge of the match, leaving the Barcelona team to depart the tournament having brought to the table a remarkable performance that can be appreciated in the following photo gallery:

The other Marcet team that took part in the Oviedo Cup also made it as far as the semifinals. Placed in Group C, Mario Jacquet’s team started in the best possible way achieving a 4-0 win against Veriña CF. A victory that earned the team three points, but also showcased the hard work done during the weeks prior to the tournament. The second match was also won 2-0 against Los Arcos. The third was a draw against St-Jacques.

With the opportunity of coming first in the initial group stage of the tournament, Real Valladolid was the last hurdle on the Good Friday afternoon. However, the Pucelano team, despite missing a penalty, proved itself superior and took advantage of two mistakes on behalf of Marcet making way for two heaving hitting goals.

Already in the quarterfinals, Mario Jacquet’s team faced the surprising Kyoto Sanga, who had come first their group. The first half came to a tie at no goals. In the second half, the Japanese team managed to get ahead, far from preventing Marcet to show the best of their abilities which managed to tie using a barrage inside the rival area. However, a double yellow expulsion lay way to a goal on behalf of the Japanese, scored in the last few minutes of the game, taking them to the semifinals alongside Deportivo, Espanyol and Alavés.

Marcet’s High Performance Academy also brought the Cadet team to the Oviedo Cup, which happened upon a very complicated group, with a match against Atletico Madrid. A match that ended with a 2-0 loss.

The defeat (0-1) against CF Bansander further complicated the situation. The hard-earned victories against Marianistas (3-0) and Arsenal Ichikawa (5-0) lead the way towards the silver phase, where Marcet’s Cadets were left at the hands of the Mountaineers.

The three Marcet teams had the opportunity to measure themselves up against great rivals in the Oviedo Cup. The objective of the expedition was precisely to take part in a high-level championship and test everything learned in the last few months of training. A very positive experience that has allowed the students of the High-Performance Academy to improve through competition and take another step towards their dream of becoming professional footballers.