Trabzonspor under-19’s fairy-tale run came to a crushing halt in the UEFA Youth League final as they fell 4-1 to a ruthless Barcelona side at the Centre Sportif de Colovray on Tuesday.
Making their first-ever appearance in the competition’s final, the Turkish club couldn’t withstand Barcelona’s attacking precision.
Trabzonspor found themselves trailing early, when Ibrahim Diarra struck from the edge of the box in the 11th minute. The Spanish side doubled the lead in the 28th after Andres Cuenca converted a rebound from a corner.
Though a third goal was overturned by VAR before halftime, Barcelona extended their dominance after the break. Captain Hugo Alba netted in the 57th minute with a curling finish, and Diarra added his second in the 68th to make it 4-0.
Trabzonspor’s lone spark came late. In the 88th minute, Bican Tibukoğlu rose to meet an Oğuzhan cross with a brave header, scoring the club’s only goal. He broke into tears after the finish – a moment that encapsulated both the pride and heartbreak of Trabzonspor’s remarkable campaign.
Squad that defied expectations
Despite the defeat, the journey remains historic.
Eight players from the squad had previously won Türkiye’s national high school championship, representing Yavuz Sultan Selim High School.
That same team reached the quarterfinals at last year’s ISF World School Football Cup in China, eventually finishing sixth.
Notable names across both competitions included:
Bican Tibukoğlu
Arda Öztürk
Alihan Erdoğan
Boran Başkan
Ömer Faruk Duymaz
Yiğit Kemal Turan
Furkan Melikşah Özcan
Turan Deniz Tuncer
Tributes from the stands
Congratulatory messages poured in as Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, Turkish Football Federation President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan, and former ministers Berat Albayrak, Mustafa Varank, and Faruk Özak were among the dignitaries in attendance.
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