The 75th edition of the Otten Innovation Cup featured a thrilling final day full of surprises and great matches. Thousands of spectators watched the next generation of footballers from the new stands at Stadion De Herdgang.
RB Leipzig claimed their first victory of the tournament in the classification matches by defeating Chelsea 3-1, while Benfica convincingly beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 4-1. In the semi-finals, Atlético Madrid and Club Brugge proved evenly matched; only a penalty shootout (5-4) decided the outcome in favor of the Spaniards. PSV, meanwhile, could not hold their own in the other semi-final, losing 3-0 to AS Monaco.
The battle for the final standings still produced plenty of excitement. Jeonbuk secured seventh place after a penalty shootout, while Benfica clinched fifth spot following a marathon shootout against Leipzig. In the third-place playoff, Club Brugge were far more clinical than PSV, winning 5-1. That result put the Belgians on the podium this year, while PSV finished outside the top three for the first time in a decade.
The grand final between AS Monaco and Atlético Madrid turned into a true spectacle. Despite an early yellow card, Monaco took control of the match. With an emphatic 3-1 victory, the Monegasque side crowned themselves champions of this jubilee edition.
Final standings:
- AS Monaco
- Atlético Madrid
- Club Brugge
- PSV
- SL Benfica
- RB Leipzig
- Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC
- Chelsea FC
With this jubilee edition, three festive days of top-level football came to an end. New rules added extra excitement, and young talents from all over Europe showcased their potential. In collaboration with Red Bull, innovations such as the player cam marked another step forward, while the Dutch FA contributed with ref cams. Next year, the Otten Innovation Cup will return – we look forward to welcoming you back for another edition full of footballing talent and promise!