The Academy have clocked up the air miles during January with five European tours and on Friday 10 January, a select group of U15s travelled to Magdeburg, Germany, to attend the 22nd edition of the Pape Cup...
The Club first attended this truly unique tournament in 2013, and the Academy are proud to continue this tradition into 2025. This 5-a-side indoor tournament is played in front of up to 5000 supporters across two days with many of Europe’s elite Clubs in attendance.
Joining the U15s to Magdeburg - an hour and a half drive from Berlin – were coaches Dario Seminerio, Liam Bloye, Adam Fleming, Adam Fitzjohn and Head of Academy, Dom Knighton
Upon landing in Germany, we made our way to Magdeburg in the company of Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax. The squad and staff enjoyed some bowling and dinner in the evening before getting a good night sleep ahead of an early tournament start on Saturday 11 January.
Cambridge United were drawn into a group with Liverpool FC, FC Union Berlin, Haldenslagen and Wolfsburg. A tough opening fixture against eventual winners Liverpool FC. The coaching staff explained to our boys the importance of a strong start to the tournament and motivation was high, this translated into a very pleasing performance and a 2-1 victory in game one.
Game Two wasn’t any easier as we faced our first German opposition of the tournament in FC Union Berlin. Another fast and frantic end to end encounter ensued, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Both players and staff alike came away from this fixture disappointed as they group had more than enough to win and in elite tournament football, it was seen as a missed opportunity.
We faced local side Haldenslegen in game three. A comfortable 4-1 victory, in which we had hoped for a clean sheet, with one eye on goal difference to boost our chances of going further into the tournament.
Our final group game on day one was against Wolfsburg, knowing that a draw would see us progress into the top group on day two. A goalless draw meant it was job done and we had progressed into the top section of the tournament on day two.
Our group on day two included ourselves and FC Union Berlin - who both carried our points against each other from our result and would not play each other again - as well as Schalke 04 on three points and host team FC Magdeburg on zero points, also joined us.
After dinner that evening, we had a team meeting, and the group understood the importance of increasing our performance as the level would only increase, with a particular focus on play in possession. Character and big personalities on the pitch was also highlighted as huge for the group to progress into the knockout stages.
The final day of the tournament began with breakfast, a brisk walk and a stretching session with Head of Performance, Adam Fleming. It was then time to travel to the venue for our first game of the day verses Schalke 04. We came up against a very good opposition and had to be at our very best to compete. Unfortunately, we fell short in this fixture and were punished ruthlessly in a 4-0 defeat. Our only loss of the tournament.
There was still hope of qualifying for the quarter finals, however we knew that it wouldn’t be an easy task, particularly against the host team who would be spurred on by a near 5000 full venue.
We asked for more personality and character from the group and to play without fear, which we got as we came out to a fast start, going 1-0 up from a set piece. As the clock ran down our boys were putting their bodies on the line with blocks, tackles and interceptions, but with minutes left on the clock a dubious decision from the referee saw our player go into the sinbin for two minutes. Heartbreak struck with 17 seconds left, as Magdeburg scored an equaliser and we were knocked out on goal difference.
Although the group were hurting after the group, the lessons and learning that the tournament provided our players and staff are truly invaluable and will continue to serve them as they progress through their young careers.
Head of Academy Dom Knighton commented, “We have been attending this truly outstanding tournament since our non-league days in 2013, when we were invited through a connection of Marc Tracy.
“We are delighted to still be attending in 2025 and could not be more looked after by our hosts with all our needs catered for. We would like to thank Lutz Pape and everyone connected with FC Magdeburg for their wonderful hospitality again this year.
“I am writing this with a sense of real pride at how our players represented Cambridge United across the weekend both on-and-off the pitch. I would also like to thank Dario Seminerio, Liam Bloye, Adam Fleming and Adam Fitzjohn who went above and beyond for our players both in preparation for the tournament and also during, leaving no stone unturned to demonstrate what it really means to be United in Endeavour.
“Our tour programme continues to really be the unique selling point of our Academy programme as we look to create an Academy that is aspirational and nurturing, whilst offering lifelong memories.”
Also competing in Germany at the weekend was the Club’s U13s, who travelled to Cologne with staff members Timi Akintola, Callum Langley and Liam Allen, to Cologne to compete in the Donges Cup.
The tournaments continue into the rest of January, as the U14 travel to Latvia this weekend to compete in the Riga Cup, whilst we conclude our tours for the month towards the end of January when our U10s return to Germany to take part in the MSG Cup.