A SHARED COMMITMENT TO YOUTH
Many decades on, all four clubs we face have a strong history of commitment to youth, especially our first opponents, Athletic, who are famed for their Basque-only policy.
Dortmund’s reputation for producing elite talent has only grown in recent years, and we’ve enjoyed some competitive fixtures against them in the UEFA Youth League, while Sporting’s track record for producing world-class stars is clear, with Cristiano Ronaldo their most famous son.
Anderlecht, meanwhile, have a rich Academy pedigree of their own, having helped develop Premier League stars like Vincent Kompany, Youri Tielemans and Romelu Lukaku.
These fixtures, then, will provide a stern challenge for United’s youngsters.