The Spanish Carlos Vicens makes the youth City champion

There were five minutes into the game when Cole Palmer was left dead in the small area. The result was a draw. This same week, shortly after having debuted in the Champions League with Pep Guardiola, He received the news that one of his best friends, a former City youth teammate, had decided to take his own life. When Palmer picked up that ball and scored the winning goal, the final 3-2 against Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup final, he looked at the television cameras and lifted his blue shirt. Underneath he had another list for the occasion with the photo of his friend Jeremy Wisten, to whom everyone dedicated the goal. And also the title.

Manchester City have won an FA Youth Cup again more than a decade later. Since 2008, with Sturridge or Trippier in the squad, even without the Sheikh still in Manchester, the 'citizens' did not get the most important youth title in England. Too many years for all the investment they have made in their lower categories. TAlso in its new and spectacular sports city. In all this time they have lost four finals, three of them against Chelsea and one, in 2019, against Liverpool. It was precisely a year ago when Cole Palmer was also the protagonist: his was the mistake in the penalty shootout that gave the 'reds' the title.

On the bench, a Spanish coach: Carlos Vicens. The Mallorcan begins his first season in command of the youth team with the best possible award. Gone are two seasons as second to Gareth Taylor, now coach of the women's team, and a stage in Spain where, among others, he was part of the Santanyí or the Llosetense, as well as the lower categories of Mallorca.

Even Pep Guardiola joined in the congratulations on the FA Youth Cup title: “I want to congratulate all the players and also Carlos and his coaching staff. His performance has been magnificentThey have shown a lot of personality. They have worked hard without the ball and when they have attacked they have done it creatively, they have surprised me. It is a sample of the strength of our quarry, very good players come, “said the Catalan coach.