The third day of the Pulcino d’Oro International Tournament, on Saturday 13 June, delivered some huge twists and turns right from the early hours of the morning. The pitches at Levico Terme, Borgo Valsugana and Caldonazzo were the scene of an incredibly intense day, characterised by matches of the very highest technical standard in both the second and third stages of the tournament. On the pitch in Ischia, meanwhile, the spotlight was on the third phase of the Pulcino d’Oro Girls tournament, with Juventus, Genoa and Sporting Lisbon vying for the trophy. The results on the pitches have finally determined the magnificent eight teams that will compete tomorrow for the most coveted title, the Pulcino d’Oro. It will be the Spanish side Atlético Madrid, the Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, the real surprise package Nuremberg, and the Italian heavyweights Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Juventus who will battle it out for victory tomorrow.

Saturday 13th: the morning’s events and the twists and turns of the second phase

The morning session immediately shook things up. Atlético Madrid dominated their group, finishing ahead of Parma, Benfica and Franco Selvaggi Matera. The biggest surprise, however, came from Group A, where the Danish amateurs of Gentofte – a club from a district of Copenhagen with a top-class youth academy – took the top spot ahead of Trento. Barça’s elimination was a major shock. The Blaugrana, left empty-handed, finished only third and are now set to compete for the Bronze Pulcino.

Inter put in an excellent performance, finishing top ahead of Nuremberg. Como (with a perfect record of three wins from three), Fiorentina and PSV Eindhoven all shone, with the latter skilfully edging out KAA Gent. Juventus topped their group ahead of the Brazilian side Fluminense, RB Leipzig and Accademia Calcio Roma. It was a thrilling battle for top spot between Atalanta and Roma, both finishing on 7 points. The ‘Dea’ came out on top, thanks to a decisive victory in the shoot-out during their head-to-head clash. Benacense also enjoyed a splendid run, finishing second in the group alongside Fiorentina, Treviso (who had won a crucial match against Benfica in the previous round) and Ancona. Finally, a special mention goes to Real Sito Caserta for their strong performances, and to Voluntas Brescia, San Luigi Trieste, Vis Pesaro, Liventina, Giovani Fucecchio, Comano Terme Fiavé, Accademia 10 e Lode and New Eagles for their victories on other pitches.

In the afternoon, as the competition heats up heading into the grand finale

The third afternoon session, which determined the final groups, was also packed with excitement. Atlético Madrid and Nuremberg won convincingly, confirming the fine form they had shown throughout these three days of competition. In a men’s group of the very highest standard, Atalanta and Fiorentina managed to finish ahead of the illustrious Brazilian side Fluminense and the Belgian side Gent. Inter, Como, PSV Eindhoven and Juventus have also progressed to the final.

As for the Bronze groups, the top seeds set to battle it out will be Benfica (top of a truly gruelling group ahead of second-placed Barcelona, Leicester and Dolomiti Bellunesi), Leeds United, Accademia Calcio Roma and Leipzig.

Tomorrow’s schedule. The top two teams from each of the morning’s groups will face off in the final matches tomorrow afternoon to decide the winners of their respective categories: Pulcino d’Oro, d’Argento, di Bronzo, Gialloblù and the four Arcobaleno tournaments. This spectacular showcase of youth football is ready for its final act.

Pulcino d’Oro Girls: the big names in women’s football are in the running

It was also a great day for the Pulcino d’Oro Girls tournament, which featured matches of an extraordinary technical and competitive standard. Three giants of women’s football will be vying for the title. Juventus, Genoa and Sporting Lisbon will battle it out for the title on Sunday afternoon. In their group, the Bianconere came out on top against the Rome-based sides Roma and Lazio, as well as Chievo Verona. Genoa also had an excellent run, pulling off a surprise victory over Inter (winners of two out of the last three editions of the Pulcino d’Oro Girls), Hellas Verona B and Padova. The Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon prevailed over Hellas Verona A, Frosinone B and Padova B.