2021–22 UEFA Youth League

The 2021–22 UEFA Youth League was the eighth season of the UEFA Youth League, a European youth club football competition organised by UEFA.

2021–22 UEFA Youth League
The Colovray Stadium in Nyon hosted the semi-finals and final.
Tournament details
Dates14 September 2021 – 25 April 2022
Teams64 (from 39 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsPortugal Benfica (1st title)
Runners-upAustria Red Bull Salzburg
Tournament statistics
Matches played167
Goals scored571 (3.42 per match)
Top scorer(s)Mads Hansen (Midtjylland)
Aral Simsir (Midtjylland)
Roko Šimić (Red Bull Salzburg)
(7 goals each)

Real Madrid, having won the title in 2019–20, were the title holders, since the 2020–21 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and the title was not awarded. They were eliminated by city rivals Atlético Madrid in the round of 16.

Portuguese side Benfica won their first title, beating Red Bull Salzburg 6–0 in the final. This was a replay of the 2017 final, won by Salzburg by 2–1. It was also Benfica's first title in European football since the 1961–62 European Cup. In August, Benfica played the inaugural Under-20 Intercontinental Cup, beating the CONMEBOL champions, Peñarol, 1–0.

Teams

A total of 64 teams from at least 32 of the 55 UEFA member associations may enter the tournament. They are split into two sections, each with 32 teams.

  • UEFA Champions League Path: The youth teams of the 32 clubs which qualified for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League group stage entered the UEFA Champions League Path. If there was a vacancy (youth teams not entering), it was filled by a team defined by UEFA.
  • Domestic Champions Path: The youth domestic champions of the top 32 associations according to their 2021 UEFA country coefficients entered the Domestic Champions Path.[1] If there was a vacancy (associations with no youth domestic competition, as well as youth domestic champions already included in the UEFA Champions League path), it was first filled by the title holders should they have not yet qualified, and then by the youth domestic champions of the next association in the UEFA ranking.

Akademia e Futbollit, Angers, Deportivo La Coruña, Daugavpils, Empoli, Hajduk Split, 1. FC Köln, Miercurea Ciuc, Pogoń Szczecin, St Patrick's Athletic, Trabzonspor, Žalgiris and Zvijezda 09 will make their tournament debuts. Lithuania will be represented for the first time.[2]

Qualified teams for 2021–22 UEFA Youth League[2]
RankAssociationTeams
UEFA Champions League PathDomestic Champions Path
1  England
2  SpainDeportivo La Coruña (2020–21 División de Honor Juvenil U-19)[4]
3  Germany1. FC Köln (2019–20 U19 A-Junioren-Bundesliga)[Note GER]
4  ItalyEmpoli (2020–21 Campionato Primavera 1)[5]
5  FranceAngers (2019–20 Championnat National U19)[Note FRA]
6  Portugal
7  RussiaZenit Saint Petersburg[YC] (2020–21 Russian Youth Football League U17)[6]
8  BelgiumClub BruggeGenk (2019–20 Belgian U18 League)[Note BEL]
9  Ukraine
10  NetherlandsAjaxAZ (2019–20 Eredivisie U19)[Note NED]
11  TurkeyBeşiktaşTrabzonspor (2020–21 U19 Elit)[8]
12  AustriaRed Bull Salzburg[PO][YC] (2020–21 Jugendliga U18)[9]
13  DenmarkMidtjylland (2020–21 U19 Ligaen)
14  ScotlandRangers (2020–21 Scottish U18 League)
15  Czech RepublicSparta Prague (2020–21 Czech U19 League)
16  CyprusAPOEL (2020–21 Cypriot U19 League)
17  SwitzerlandYoung Boys[PO][YC] (2020–21 Swiss U18 League)
18  GreecePAOK (2020–21 Superleague K19)
19  SerbiaRed Star Belgrade (2020–21 Serbian U19 League)
20  CroatiaHajduk Split (2020–21 1. HNL Juniori U19)
21  SwedenMalmö[PO]Hammarby IF (2020 P17 Allsvenskan)
22  NorwayRosenborg (2020 Norwegian U19 Cup)
23  IsraelMaccabi Haifa (2020–21 Israeli U19 Noar Premier League)
24  KazakhstanKairat (2020 Kazakhstani U17 League)
25  BelarusMinsk (2020 Belarusian U18 League)
26  AzerbaijanGabala (2020–21 Azerbaijani U19 League)
27  BulgariaSeptemvri Sofia (2020–21 U18 BFU Cup)
28  RomaniaMiercurea Ciuc (2020–21 Liga Elitelor U19)
29  PolandPogoń Szczecin (2020–21 Polish U18 Central Junior League)
30  SlovakiaŽilina (2020–21 Slovak U19 League)
32  SloveniaDomžale (2020–21 Slovenian U19 League)
33  HungaryMTK Budapest[V-LIE] (2020–21 Hungarian U19 League)
35  LithuaniaŽalgiris[V-YC] (2020 Lithuanian Elite Youth League U19 Division)
37  LatviaDaugavpils[V-YC] (2020 Latvian U18 League)
38  AlbaniaAkademia e Futbollit[V-PO] (2020–21 Albanian U19 League)
39  North MacedoniaShkëndija[V-PO] (2020–21 Macedonian U19 League)
40  Bosnia and HerzegovinaZvijezda 09[V-PO] (2020–21 Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 Junior League)
41  MoldovaSheriff Tiraspol[PO][YC] (2020–21 Divizia Națională U19)
42  Republic of IrelandSt Patrick's Athletic[V-PO] (2020 League of Ireland U19 Division)[10]
Associations without any participating teams
(no teams qualify for UEFA Champions League group stage, and either with no youth domestic competition or not ranked high enough for a vacancy)
RankAssociation
31  Liechtenstein
34  Luxembourg
36  Armenia
43  Finland
44  Georgia
45  Malta
RankAssociation
46  Iceland
47  Wales
48  Northern Ireland
49  Gibraltar
50  Montenegro
RankAssociation
51  Estonia
52  Kosovo
53  Faroe Islands
54  Andorra
55  San Marino
Notes
  Potential: Youth domestic champions which may potentially enter the Domestic Champions Path only if there is a vacancy.

Round and draw dates

The schedule of the competition is as follows (all draws were held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, unless stated otherwise).[2]

  • For the UEFA Champions League Path group stage, in principle the teams play their matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of the matchdays as scheduled for UEFA Champions League, and on the same day as the corresponding senior teams; however, matches could also be played on other dates, including Mondays and Thursdays.
  • For the Domestic Champions Path first and second rounds, in principle matches are played on Wednesdays (first round on matchdays 2 and 3, second round on matchdays 4 and 5, as scheduled for UEFA Champions League); however, matches could also be played on other dates, including Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Schedule for 2021–22 UEFA Youth League
PhaseRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond leg
UEFA Champions League Path
Group stage
Matchday 126 August 2021
(Istanbul)
14–15 September 2021
Matchday 228–29 September 2021
Matchday 319–20 October 2021
Matchday 42–3 November 2021
Matchday 523–24 November 2021
Matchday 67–8 December 2021
Domestic Champions PathFirst round31 August 202129 September 202120 October 2021
Second round3 November 202124 November 2021
Knockout phasePlay-offs14 December 20218–9 February 2022
Round of 1614 February 20221–2 March 2022
Quarter-finals15–16 March 2022
Semi-finals22 April 2022 at Colovray Stadium, Nyon
Final25 April 2022 at Colovray Stadium, Nyon

UEFA Champions League Path

For the UEFA Champions League Path, the 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four. There was no separate draw held, with the group compositions identical to the draw for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League group stage, which was held on 26 August 2021, 18:00 CEST (19:00 TRT), in Istanbul, Turkey.[15]

In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The group winners advance to the round of 16, while the eight runners-up advance to the play-offs, where they will join by the eight second round winners from the Domestic Champions Path.

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification PSG BRU MCI LPZ
1 Paris Saint-Germain6420167+914Round of 163–21–13–0
2 Club Brugge63211811+711Play-offs2–21–14–1
3 Manchester City62221211+181–33–55–1
4 RB Leipzig6006421−1701–41–40–1
Source: UEFA

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification LIV ATM POR MIL
1 Liverpool632194+511Round of 162–04–01–0
2 Atlético Madrid631296+310[a]Play-offs2–01–23–0
3 Porto631289−110[a]1–11–23–1
4 Milan6024310−721–11–10–1
Source: UEFA
Notes:

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification SPO DOR AJX BES
1 Sporting CP6321118+311Round of 163–21–11–2
2 Borussia Dortmund6312169+710[a]Play-offs0–00–16–2
3 Ajax6312910−110[a]2–31–53–1
4 Beşiktaş6105817−931–32–30–1
Source: UEFA
Notes:

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification RMA INT SHK SHE
1 Real Madrid6411116+513[a]Round of 162–11–04–1
2 Inter Milan6411106+413[a]Play-offs1–11–02–1
3 Shakhtar Donetsk6303145+993–20–16–0
4 Sheriff Tiraspol6006422−1800–12–40–5
Source: UEFA
Notes:

Group E

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification BEN DKV BAR BAY
1 Benfica6501144+1015Round of 161–04–04–0
2 Dynamo Kyiv6411143+1113Play-offs4–04–12–1
3 Barcelona6114414−1040–30–02–0
4 Bayern Munich6105415−1130–20–43–2
Source: UEFA

Group F

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification MUN VIL ATA YB
1 Manchester United6501129+315Round of 161–44–22–1
2 Villarreal6321159+611Play-offs1–22–03–3
3 Atalanta62131112−171–22–23–0
4 Young Boys6015715−810–11–32–3
Source: UEFA

Group G

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification SLZ SEV LIL WOL
1 Red Bull Salzburg6402105+512Round of 162–03–13–0
2 Sevilla632183+511Play-offs2–00–02–0
3 Lille631276+1101–00–32–0
4 VfL Wolfsburg6015213−1111–21–10–3
Source: UEFA

Group H

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification JUV CHE ZEN MAL
1 Juventus6510187+1116Round of 163–14–24–1
2 Chelsea63121510+510Play-offs1–33–14–2
3 Zenit Saint Petersburg62131013−370–21–13–2
4 Malmö6015821−1312–20–51–3
Source: UEFA

Domestic Champions Path

For the Domestic Champions Path, the 32 teams were drawn into two rounds of two-legged home-and-away ties. The draw for both the first round and second round was held on 31 August 2021.

The eight second round winners advance to the play-offs, where they will join by the eight group runners-up from the UEFA Champions League Path (group stage).

First round

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Pogoń Szczecin 3–4 Deportivo La Coruña3–00–4
MTK Budapest 6–4 Sparta Prague3–13–3
PAOK 1–7 Žilina1–50–2
Shkëndija 1–5 Hajduk Split0–21–3
Daugavpils 0–6 Minsk0–40–2
APOEL 1–2 Kairat1–10–1
Žalgiris 0–5 Maccabi Haifa0–30–2
1. FC Köln 3–7 Genk2–41–3
Septemvri Sofia 4–1 Akademia e Futbollit3–01–1
Zvijezda 09 0–3 Trabzonspor0–10–2
Domžale 2–3 Empoli1–21–1
Gabala 0–11 AZ0–40–7
Miercurea Ciuc 0–5 Angers0–20–3
Rangers 5–1 Hammarby IF3–02–1
Rosenborg 3–14 Midtjylland2–41–10
St Patrick's Athletic 1–4 Red Star Belgrade1–20–2

Second round

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Hajduk Split 4–1 Minsk3–01–1
MTK Budapest 1–3 Genk1–20–1
Deportivo La Coruña 5–4 Maccabi Haifa5–10–3
Žilina 3–3 (3–0 p) Kairat3–20–1
Red Star Belgrade 1–6 Empoli1–10–5
Trabzonspor 2–10 Midtjylland2–50–5
Angers 1–1 (4–5 p) AZ0–11–0
Septemvri Sofia 2–7[A] Rangers2–40–3

Notes

Knockout phase

Bracket

Play-offsRound of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
                  
8 February
Empoli3
1 March
Borussia Dortmund5
Manchester United2 (1)
Borussia Dortmund (p)2 (3)
16 March
Borussia Dortmund0
9 February
Atlético Madrid1
Hajduk Split0 (2)
2 March
Atlético Madrid (p)0 (3)
Real Madrid2
Atlético Madrid3
22 April – Nyon
Atlético Madrid0
8 February
Red Bull Salzburg5
Rangers0
1 March
Sevilla1
Paris Saint-Germain2
Sevilla0
16 March
Paris Saint-Germain1
8 February
Red Bull Salzburg3
Žilina3
2 March
Inter Milan1
Žilina1 (3)
Red Bull Salzburg (p)1 (4)
25 April – Nyon
Red Bull Salzburg0
8 February
Benfica6
AZ (p)3 (4)
2 March
Villarreal3 (3)
AZ0 (4)
Juventus (p)0 (5)
15 March
Juventus2
9 February
Liverpool0
Genk5
2 March
Chelsea1
Liverpool (p)1 (4)
Genk1 (3)
22 April – Nyon
Juventus2 (3)
9 February
Benfica (p)2 (4)
Deportivo La Coruña2 (2)
7 April
Dynamo Kyiv (p)2 (3)
Dynamo Kyiv1
Sporting CP2
13 April
Sporting CP0
9 February
Benfica4
Midtjylland3
2 March
Club Brugge2
Midtjylland2
Benfica3

Play-offs

The eight second round winners from the Domestic Champions Path were drawn against the eight group runners-up from the UEFA Champions League Path, with the teams from the Domestic Champions Path hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other.

The draw was conducted on 14 December 2021 12:00 CET at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. The play-offs were played over one leg on 8 and 9 February 2022.

Team 1 Score Team 2
Empoli 3–5 Borussia Dortmund
Genk 5–1 Chelsea
AZ 3–3 (4–3 p) Villarreal
Žilina 3–1 Inter Milan
Hajduk Split 0–0 (2–3 p) Atlético Madrid
Midtjylland 3–2 Club Brugge
Deportivo La Coruña 2–2 (2–3 p) Dynamo Kyiv
Rangers 0–1 Sevilla

Round of 16

The draw was conducted on 14 February 2022 12:00 CET at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. The round of 16 should have been played over one leg on 1 and 2 March 2022.[16] The mechanism of the draws for each round was as follows:

  • In the draw for the round of 16, the UEFA Champions League Path group winners were drawn against the play-off winners, with the first team drawn in each tie hosting the match. Teams from the same UEFA Champions League Path group could not be drawn against each other, but teams from the same association could be drawn against each other.
  • In the draws for the quarter-finals onwards, there were no seedings, and teams from the same UEFA Champions League Path group or the same association could be drawn against each other (the identity of the quarter-final winners and onwards was not known at the time of the draws). The draws also decided the home team for each quarter-final, and which quarter-final and semi-final winners were designated as the "home" team for each semi-final and final (for administrative purposes as they were played at a neutral venue).
Team 1 Score Team 2
Liverpool 1–1 (4–3 p) Genk
Real Madrid 2–3 Atlético Madrid
AZ 0–0 (4–5 p) Juventus
Dynamo Kyiv 1–2 Sporting CP
Manchester United 2–2 (1–3 p) Borussia Dortmund
Žilina 1–1 (3–4 p) Red Bull Salzburg
Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 Sevilla
Midtjylland 2–3 Benfica

Quarter-finals

The draw was conducted on 14 February 2022 12:00 CET at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. The quarter-finals were played over one leg from 15 March to 13 April 2022.[16]

Team 1 Score Team 2
Juventus 2–0 Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain 1–3 Red Bull Salzburg
Sporting CP 0–4 Benfica
Borussia Dortmund 0–1 Atlético Madrid

Semi-finals

The draw was conducted on 14 February 2022 12:00 CET at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. The semi-finals were played over one leg on 22 April 2022 at Colovray Stadium, Nyon.[16]

Team 1 Score Team 2
Juventus 2–2 (3–4 p) Benfica
Atlético Madrid 0–5 Red Bull Salzburg

Final

The draw was conducted on 14 February 2022 12:00 CET at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. The final was played on 25 April 2022 at Colovray Stadium, Nyon.[16]

This was a replay of the 2017 UEFA Youth League Final, which Salzburg won 2–1. Benfica won 6–0 to win their first Youth League title, and their first title in European football since the 1961–62 European Cup.

Red Bull Salzburg 0–6 Benfica
Report
Attendance: 4,000[17]
Referee: Harm Osmers (Germany)

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals
1 Mads Hansen Midtjylland7
Aral Şimşir Midtjylland
Roko Šimić Red Bull Salzburg
4 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens Borussia Dortmund6
Filip Čuić Hajduk Split
6 Samba Diallo Dynamo Kyiv5
Bradley Fink Borussia Dortmund
Oscar Fraulo Midtjylland
Djeidi Gassama Paris Saint-Germain
Timotej Jambor Žilina
James McAtee Manchester City
Cisse Sandra Club Brugge
Luís Semedo Benfica
Zalán Vancsa MTK Budapest

U-20 Intercontinental Cup

The UEFA champions, Benfica, played against the CONMEBOL champion, Peñarol, for the new U-20 Intercontinental Cup, a youth team equivalent to the former Intercontinental Cup, which featured the senior club champions of Europe and South America. Benfica won 1–0.

Notes

References

External links