On June 20th, the legendary B cellona returned to FC Abcoude for the annual Amsterdam UMC Soccer Tournament, and they did not disappoint! With the sun shining, music pumping, and BBQ sizzling, the stage was set for a truly memorable day.

This year’s team brought together a dynamic mix of players from across departments: Aryamaan Bose, Sait Arbaaz, Amir Alizadeh Bahmani, Amber Schotting, Adi Sridhar, Robin Lissner, Matthijs Ringeling, Manon Oudejans, Gabriela Golda, and Baltus van der Steen. Cheering from the sidelines were diehard supporters from the MMI VU Department, plus a few equally dedicated partners.

The day started with a tough 4–0 loss to VV Ventrikel (who, in the team's defense, went on to win the recreational tournament, so let’s call it a technical second place?). But from there, B cellona turned up the heat:

  • A clean 2-0 win over Team Triple Whipple
  • A 2-1 victory against Slokdarmslopers
  • A thrilling 3-2 battle against Rikketiki-taka FC, complete with back-and-forth goals and edge-of-your-seat action

Standout moments came from every part of the pitch. Adi, Aryamaan, and Manon delivered stunning goals with impeccable timing. Baltus and Matthijs fueled the attack with smart passing, assists, and well-earned finishes. In goal, Amir and Robin made critical saves to keep the team alive. Amber, Robin, and Amir anchored a solid defense, while Aryamaan and Adi even stepped in to help other teams short on players, true MVP moves!

Despite the friendly nature of the tournament, the competition was fierce. A few battle scars were earned, but always in good spirits. B cellona finished second in their group and a very respectable 11th out of 40 teams overall.

Most impressive of all? Many teammates had not met before the day began. But by the final whistle, they were sharing laughs, post-game drinks, and future plans to do it all again.

The Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases proudly sponsored the teams participation costs, dinner and their custom B cellona shirts.

The B cellona team members are already counting down the days until next year.

¡Visca B cellona!

Catch up on B cellona’s 2024 highlights: