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2016 Catalonia International Trophy
Trofeu Catalunya Internacional 2016
	Estadi Montilivi in Girona
Event	Catalonia International Trophy
	Tunisia won 4–2 on penalties
Date	28 December 2016
Venue	Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain
Man of the Match	Xavi (Catalonia)
Referee	Alfonso Álvarez (Spain)
Attendance	8,311
	← 2013

The 2016 Catalonia International Trophy is the 6th edition of the Catalonia International Trophy, pitted Catalonia against Tunisia on 28 December 2016 at the Estadi Montilivi in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Tunisia won the title after winning on penalties.^[2]

Background

The two teams previously faced each other once during the 2011 edition at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain. The match ended in a 0−0 draw.^[3] Despite the draw, the Catalan team conceded the trophy to Tunisia in a clear display of fair play.^[4]

Match

Summary

In the first half, Tunisia came out much more revolutionized than Catalonia and in a few minutes was ahead on the scoreboard thanks to two goals in twelve minutes by the same player, Youssef Msakni, who bravely made the pair of central players suffer, Andreu Fontàs and Sergi Gómez, and they were anticipated twice to make it 0−2. Catalonia, under the baton of Xavi Hernández, reacted and a step forward resulted in Gerard Moreno's goal, with a strong left-footed shot from the front of the area.^[5]

Far from losing continuity, the wheel of changes after the break has made the game gain dynamism. Xavi received one of the biggest ovations of the evening when Gerard and Sergio replaced him in the second half for Oriol Riera.^[6] Girona footballer Pere Pons, who played the second 45 minutes, has also been highly acclaimed by Montilivi. Another time Msakni, with a pipe from the front unstoppable for Edgar Badia, has put two goals ahead for Tunisia and forced Catalonia to row again against the current.

The selection, however, has offered a spectacular final stretch of the match and with a great reaction.^[7] He got back into the game with the 2−3, made by Gerard Valentín and signed by Sergio García. The goal gave even more spark to Catalonia, which did not take long to make it 3−3, the work of Verdú after a great cross, also from the right, by Álvaro Vázquez. In the last few minutes, the selection has been looking for the 4−3 with insistence, but has not found it despite having some very interesting arrivals. He also had the 3−4 Tunisia in the last gasp.^[8]

Details

28 December 2016

20:00 CEST

Catalonia	3–3	Tunisia
Gerard 35' S. García 69' Verdú 79'	Report	Msakni 9', 30', 67'
Penalties
Verdú Víctor Álvarez Vázquez Riera	2–4	Sassi Dhaouadi Bguir Azouni Khalifa

Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain

Attendance: 8,311^[9]

Referee: Alfonso Álvarez (Spain)

Catalonia

Tunisia


GK	1	Jordi Masip		45'
DF	6	Pol Lirola		45'
DF	5	Sergi Gómez		73'
DF	3	Andreu Fontàs		46'
DF	14	Aarón Martín		46'
MF	9	Sergi Roberto		46'
MF	13	Marc Roca		46'
MF	7	Xavi (c)		75'
FW	17	Gerard Moreno		46'
FW	15	Sergio García	89'	46'
FW	11	Víctor Rodríguez		46'
Substitutions:
GK	16	Edgar Badia		45'
DF	13	Gerard Valentín		46'
DF	10	Marc Crosas		73'
DF	4	Alberto de la Bella		46'
DF	2	Víctor Álvarez		46'
MF	14	Pere Pons		46'
MF	12	Sergi Samper		46'
MF	8	Joan Verdú		46'
FW	16	Álvaro Vázquez		46'
FW	18	Oriol Riera		75'
Manager:
Gerard López Sergio González


GK	Aymen Mathlouthi (c)		45'
DF	Hamza Mathlouthi		79'
DF	Syam Ben Youssef
DF	Zied Boughattas
DF	Oussama Haddadi
DF	Chamseddine Dhaouadi
MF	Hamza Lahmar		45'
MF	Naïm Sliti		45'
MF	Larry Azouni
FW	Taha Yassine Khenissi		45'
FW	Youssef Msakni		72'
Substitutions:
GK	Rami Jridi		45'
DF	Hamdi Nagguez		79'
MF	Saad Bguir		45'
MF	Ferjani Sassi		45'
MF	Mohamed Amine Ben Amor	89'	72'
FW	Saber Khalifa		45'
Manager:
Henryk Kasperczak