Once again, B1 Soccer Academy takes part in the Mediterranean International Cup (MIC Tournament)
For another consecutive year, B1 Soccer Academy has participated in the Mediterranean International Cup (MIC Tournament) — the most prestigious youth football tournament in Spain, held during Easter Week on the Costa Brava, from April 4th to 9th.
This year, the academy competed with two teams: a youth team based in Lloret de Mar, and a cadet team based in Roses, Girona. The latter took on the challenge of competing with a squad made up mostly of sub-13 players, showing great ambition as they faced older opponents.
This year’s challenge was even greater.
Forming two teams with players who had barely trained together, along with some last-minute dropouts, made participating in the 2023 edition of the MIC a real challenge for us. But we enjoyed it to the fullest — and so did the boys.
Two training sessions together to connect, share personal feelings, and see the great chemistry among the players.
These sessions were held at FC Santboià’s facilities in the days leading up to our trip to the Costa Brava.
On Wednesday, April 5th, the team led by Marc Fortuny and Eric Bertran kicked off the competition against the local side, Juventus Academy of Lloret, in a high-intensity, hard-fought match. Both teams created chances, but it was Dutch player Xavello who opened the scoring after a perfectly delivered corner kick by our captain, Emi Magaña.
Opportunities kept coming at both ends, until the local team earned a free kick on the edge of the box and converted it with an incredible strike, leaving the B1 goalkeeper with no chance to reach it.
After Juventus de Lloret equalized, and with the pressure of wanting to start the group stage with a win, both teams began making several unforced errors, which led to chances at both ends. Then, following a turnover in the attacking third by B1 Soccer Academy and a long ball forward, the Lloret striker managed to slot it across goal, putting the local team ahead with a final score of 2–1.
On Wednesday afternoon, all teams traveled to the Estadi Municipal de Vilatenim in Figueres to attend the tournament’s opening matches and ceremony. Each team presented their captains for a lap of honor around the field, and the event also featured live music and dance performances.
For the opening matches, we had the chance to enjoy a clash between Real Madrid and American side Albion SC, followed by FC Barcelona taking on CE Mercantil — both Catalan Federation rivals in the Infantil División de Honor league.
Thursday, April 6th, was a double matchday, with all teams playing both in the morning and afternoon. Our U19 team faced the Hungarian side Újbuda at the Sant Gregori facilities. The first half was very disciplined, with both teams well-organized on the field. Although there were few chances on goal, there was plenty of hard work in the midfield.
At the start of the second half, the pressure to secure three points in order to qualify for the final stage led B1 to make costly mistakes, which the Hungarian team capitalized on. The final score ended up being heavier than what the match deserved based on the football displayed.
At the start of the second half, the team continued with the same dynamic, but a penalty tipped the score in favor of the Danish team. Despite B1’s continued pressure and several chances created, the match ended in another narrow defeat.
U15 Team at the Tournament
For the U15 team, coached by Sergio Alfaro and Jaume Solis, the competition began in La Jonquera with a match against the American side Legends FC. The game started off very evenly matched, with plenty of scoring opportunities and impressive saves by both goalkeepers.
It was in the second half when the physical strength of the American team began to show against the B1 players. They made good use of their speed and managed to break through the defensive line twice with well-placed balls into space, leaving the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations.
Strong defensive work and several key saves from the goalkeeper helped keep the final scoreline closer than the game actually reflected.
For the second match, the B1 boys faced CP Sarrià from Barcelona at the Estadi de Vilatenim. Their opponent was coming off a heavy 11–0 loss to the French side AS Meunon. It was a hard-fought game in which the team, captained by Daniel, started off trailing. However, their competitive spirit kicked in, and they managed to come back with goals from Marcel and Mateo, finishing the match in second place in the group standings.
And in the last group stage match, held on Wednesday, April 6th, the B1 U15 team put up a real fight against the French side AS Meudon, who had convincingly won their first two group matches. It was a very disciplined performance, marked by outstanding defensive work and some brilliant saves from our goalkeeper.
There were chances at both ends, but in the end, small details — and a bit of luck — tipped the game in favor of the French team, who came away with a 1–0 victory.
“They competed like beasts. They played three amazing matches. The boys knew they were coming to face teams from a higher category, but the excitement and strong team spirit we’ve built helped them compete incredibly well. We’re very proud.”
Next Round – MIC23
It was a challenging group stage for both B1 teams in the competition. And although they didn’t qualify for the final phase, they were ready to give their all in the next round. The U19 team was set to face a very experienced side, Caldes FC, while the U15 team would play the Round of 16 against Juventus de Mataró.
