Nigeria’s Magic Stars drawn against Sassuolo, Apia Leichhardt, and Casarano in 75th Viarreggio Cup in Italy
The draws for the 75th Viarreggio Cup in Italy have been announced, with Nigeria’s Magic Stars FC set to face Italian club giants Sassuolo, along with Australia’s Apia Leichhardt and Italy’s Casarano in the first round.
In addition to Magic Stars, two other Nigerian academies, Ojodu City and Mavlon Academy, are also set to participate in the prestigious youth football tournament. Magic Stars, based in Lagos, will be looking to make a strong impact and aim for victory, following the success of another Nigerian team, Beyond Limits Academy, who won the tournament last year.
Mavlon Academy will face Italian sides Fiorentina, Stella Rossa from Serbia, and Imolese in their group. Ojodu City’s first-round opponents include Torino, Pontedera, and Asteras Aktor.
The Viarreggio Cup brings together top youth teams from around the world, and the final will be held at the renovated Pini Stadium in Viareggio. Mayor Giorgio Del Ghingaro confirmed that the stadium, which has been closed since 2018, will be ready to host the final on March 31st. The stadium is undergoing significant renovations, and the official reopening will take place in the spring with a special event celebrating sport, tradition, and history.
Alessandro Palagi, the president of the Youth Soccer Center, the organisers of the event, expressed his excitement: “Finally, the tournament returns to its home. For me, this is a dream come true.”
The tournament will take place from March 17th to 31st for the men’s competition, while the women’s Viarreggio Women’s Cup will be held from March 17th to 21st.
