Liverpool FC young guns too good for Barcelona

LIVERPOOL’S Academy has made giant strides forward in recent years and that was underlined by the club’s triumph at the Premier League Under-11 Festival.

The young Reds dumped out Barcelona en route to lifting the trophy at the University of Warwick.

The two-day tournament involved 18 English teams as well as the Catalans, Ajax and Sporting Lisbon.

After finishing top of their group, Liverpool beat Barca on penalties after their semi-final finished 1-1.

The final against Fulham ended in stalemate but once again the Reds held their nerve to win the shootout.

Liverpool Academy Manager Steve Cooper said: “At this age group they just tend to play regional teams so it was a chance to play against other teams we don’t normally play against and see some different styles.

“Playing Barcelona is exciting enough as it is. I know our kids were made up just to be playing them. The way that both teams went about the game, trying to play the right way and with a carefree attitude, was brilliant.

“It’s obviously great to win and we’re really proud of the boys, but wherever we had finished up it would still have been a fantastic experience.”

The tournament was played in the nine-a-side format that will soon become mandatory for under-11s and under-12s as part of the FA’s reforms.

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