Real Madrid Castilla drawn against Manchester United in Premier League International Cup quarter-finals
Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla will travel to Manchester to face United's U21s in the last eight of the Premier League International Cup.
Castilla are heading to Manchester for a proper glamour tie — Real Madrid’s B side have been drawn against Manchester United’s U21s in the quarter-finals of the Premier League International Cup.
The tie itself
It’s a one-legged affair at Old Trafford, with the exact date still to be confirmed while the two clubs sort out the details. Not a bad pull for a youth cup, is it? Two of the biggest clubs on the planet going head-to-head before most of their players have even hit their mid-20s.
How Castilla got here
Castilla came through the group stage in solid nick — unbeaten throughout, finishing second in Group A behind Everton. Here’s how their group campaign broke down:
- Won: vs Wolves, vs Everton
- Drew: vs Southampton, vs Manchester City
- Points: 8
Not bad at all. Conceding the top spot to Everton stings a little, but going the whole group stage without a defeat is the sort of thing that gives you proper belief heading into the knockouts.
Worth noting: the four group games were managed by Arbeloa, but it’ll be Julián López de Lerma in the dugout for the quarter-final, making it his debut in the competition. A big occasion to cut your teeth on.
United’s route through
Manchester United also came through as group runners-up, finishing behind Borussia Dortmund. Their record was a mixed bag:
- Won: vs Athletic Club, vs Borussia Dortmund, vs Sporting de Portugal
- Lost: vs Anderlecht
So unlike Castilla, United have already tasted defeat in this tournament. That loss to Anderlecht is a little flag worth keeping in mind — Castilla’s unbeaten run gives them a psychological edge, even if they’re the ones making the trip north.
A bit of context
This is actually Castilla’s first ever appearance in the Premier League International Cup, which is organised by the Premier League and played entirely in England for U21 players. The semis and final are also one-legged, so there’s no margin for error from here on out.
Castilla aren’t the only Spanish side still in it, either — Real Sociedad and Valencia’s reserve teams have also made the quarter-finals, which is a decent showing for La Liga’s B sides overall.
A trip up to Manchester, a one-off game, the bright lights of a United ground — for these young Castilla lads, it doesn’t get much bigger than this at youth level. Let’s see if they can handle the occasion.