News

21.08.2019

European football majors Barcelona, Internazionale, Borussia and Olympique Lyonnais will take part in the UTLC Cup Youth Football Tournament for the first time

Alexey Grom, CEO of JSC “United Transport and Logistics Company – Eurasian Rail Alliance” (UTLC ERA), Vasily Kiknadze, Director General of Football Club Lokomotiv Moscow, and Rolan Gusev, UEFA Cup winner and CSKA (Central Army Sports Club) Academy coach, have presented the III International Football Tournament UTLC Cup 2019 – championship of youth squads from the leading European and Asian football clubs, ata press conference on August 19.

“Moscow is again becoming the world football capital. This year world famous football majors including Barcelona, Borussia, Internazionale, Olympique Lyonnais will take part in the UTLC Cup for the first time. I am anticipating striking and dramatic games, incomparable emotions one gets from youth football, the most beautiful goals and victory celebrations, – said Alexey Grom, CEO of UTLC ERA. – Together with our partners we have tried to set up a tournament where the leading football schools from various parts of Eurasia could demonstrate their best sports skills, share experiences, establish close ties. Football unites wonderfully. Our goal is to create a real youth football festival. I suggest that participants of the tournament should compete beautifully and honestly! You are our Eurasian football of tomorrow.”

Ten of the strongest Eurasian football clubs will take part in the tournament in 2019. Football players from Spanish Barcelona, German Borussia, French Olympique Lyonnais, Italian Internazaionale, Dynamo Minskand CSKA Moscow will participate in the event for the first time. The said six teams will play against the teams which fans already know and love after the previous tournaments – Japanese Yokohama, Chinese Zhejiang Greentown, Kazakh Astana and the youth squad of Lokomotiv Moscow which will be hosting the tournament.

“The UTLC Cup is a tremendous experience for our youths. It is an opportunity to play against top teams. Unfortunately, we did not have such tournaments when I was a child, – Rolan Gusev, CSKA Academy coach and UEFA Cup winner, said emotionally. – We thank the organizers for the opportunity provided for young athletes including our team from CSKA Moscow, to test themselves against world football majors. We are set to win.”

“It is a great honour for us to hold such international tournaments at our home stadium. The Lokoball has just ended, and now we are anticipating the UTLC Cup. We view this tournament as a possibility to select future football stars,” – Vasily Kiknadze, Director General of Football Club Lokomotiv Moscow, said.

“Participation in the UTLC Cup international tournament is a significant experience for us. Our rivals are very strong. In the previous years, our boys did not rise high in the tournament but we worked on our mistakes and are motivated only to win,” – Timur Tokin playing for Astana said.

The International Football Tournament UTLC Cup was established by JSC “United Transport and Logistics Company – Eurasian Rail Alliance” as a social project uniting countries on the Eurasian continent. UTLC ERA provides cargo transportation services by regular container block trains between China and Europe through the territories of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Belarus. The Joint Stock Company “Russian Railways” (JSC RZD) is the official partner of the tournament.

The tournament will be held from August 20 to 25. Group stage matches and play-offs will take place at Sapsan Arena, and finalists will meet at RZD Arena – the home stadium of Lokomotiv Moscow. It will be possible to watch matches online at Match TV and Match! Strana channels as well as the Sportbox.ru media portal.

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