Udinese won the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup after beating both Barcelona and Nottingham Forest 1-0 in a three-match tournament played at the Bluenergy Stadium.
The hosts began the evening with victory over Nottingham Forest, securing the only goal of the opening game through Oumar Solet. The defender rose to meet a corner from Nicolo Zaniolo and powered his header into the net.
The competition was played in an unusual format, with each fixture lasting 45 minutes. Points were awarded for every win, meaning Udinese’s opening success gave them an early advantage in the standings.
Barcelona then faced Nottingham Forest in the second match and also recorded a 1-0 victory. Raphinha settled that contest by converting a late penalty.
The spot-kick was awarded after a handling offence by Nikola Milenkovic, giving Barcelona the chance to claim the points despite Forest keeping the game close.
A minute’s silence was held before kick-off in Barcelona’s match to mark the death of Jorge Messi, the father of the club’s former captain Lionel Messi. Jorge Messi died earlier in the day following a long illness.
The trophy was decided in the final game, when Udinese took on Barcelona. The Italian side needed another victory and secured it in the final minute, with Vakoun Bayo providing the decisive moment.
Bayo showed composure to lift a delicate finish over former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, sending the ball over him and into the net to complete Udinese’s clean sweep.
The 1-0 win meant Udinese finished the tournament unbeaten, having scored in both of their matches and conceded no goals. Barcelona’s victory over Nottingham Forest left them with one win, while the Premier League club lost both of their games.
Zaniolo was named player of the tournament after helping Udinese claim the trophy on home turf. His corner created the opening goal against Nottingham Forest, while the hosts’ defensive resilience and Bayo’s late finish against Barcelona ensured they ended the evening as champions.