West Bromwich Albion’s under-21s will face Juventus Next Gen at The Hawthorns on Wednesday night in a standout fixture of their debut Premier League International Cup campaign.
The tie sees Leigh Downing’s young Baggies test themselves against one of Europe’s most prestigious academies, following a challenging start to the competition.
European Test for Albion’s Youngsters
Albion began their Group B campaign with a 3–0 home defeat to Danish side FC Nordsjaelland last week, while Juventus opened with a 2–1 win over Leicester City. The fixture against the Italian club’s under-23 side offers a chance for Downing’s men to measure their progress against top continental opposition.
The Baggies are competing in the Premier League International Cup for the first time, joining a strong field of English and European youth teams. Downing believes these fixtures are invaluable in preparing his players for senior football.
“We looked at this competition along with the National League Cup and whenever the boys get a game at The Hawthorns it adds a little bit of extra spice to it with fans coming to watch,” said Downing.
“Having Juventus come here will be another great night for the lads. These are the games the boys really want to look to impress and do well in.”
Developing Experience and Resilience
Downing’s team have already faced senior opposition this season in the National League Cup, with the Albion boss describing both competitions as key learning experiences. He admitted his players were taught some harsh lessons by Nordsjaelland’s technical and tactical quality.
“I said to the players this competition is going to test and challenge them, because we’re going to come up against some very good sides that have probably got a lot of international players in their squads,” he explained. “I think they caused us problems in the first half through their movement and the way they moved the ball.”
Albion’s young side showed improvement in their next outing, drawing 2–2 with Leeds United in Premier League 2 action thanks to goals from defenders Jamal Mohammed and Adam Letlat, whose stoppage-time equaliser earned a deserved point.
Writer’s View
While it may not be the senior Juventus side making the trip, Wednesday’s match represents a valuable milestone for Albion’s academy. Competing against elite European opposition provides Downing’s players with the technical and tactical exposure needed to progress through the ranks.
Results are secondary to experience in these fixtures, but a strong showing against Juventus Next Gen could accelerate the development of several promising Baggies prospects.
