Manchester United Women are preparing to face Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
The match will take place tonight at 20:00 GMT. Before the game, manager Marc Skinner held a press conference to discuss this historic tie for United.
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Team news
Skinner revealed that Fridolina Rolfö will miss the match as she picked up a knock at the weekend, but that everyone else expected to play will be available.
The manager was then asked how his squad has found changing their mindset back to cup competitions and playing twice a week.
He explained, “pretty good, to be honest. We’re in a space where the team feels ready and prepared for the huge challenge ahead. We’ve been here before, we know what it’s like. It was tough last time we played here, so we’re expecting another tough game.”
The head coach added, “the players are in game mode because matches have been coming thick and fast. We’re in really good form and playing good-quality football. We’re in a good space, but we’re ready to face a really good team at their home venue. We’re looking forward to it.”
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Advantages of facing Atlético Madrid earlier in the season
United beat the Spanish side 1-0 in Madrid earlier in the campaign, but Skinner believes it will be a different test this time around.
He explained, “from a team perspective, you learn a lot when playing a Spanish team. They’ve changed coach recently — Jose has come in and adjusted their style slightly — so we have to be prepared for that. It’ll be a slightly different setup this time, but we’re here to try and get a victory and take a good position back to the home leg.”
Skinner also highlighted that his side have much more experience now than they had when they faced Paris Saint-Germain away from home in October 2023 and lost 1-3.
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He elaborated, “I’ve seen us fight, play beautiful football, and find ways to win. That’s what we’ll need to do over these two legs. We’ll have challenging moments — it’s quite windy out there, which will affect the game. But I’ve learned a lot about this team. They’ve grown. The growth has been great.”
Impact of signings
Skinner also added that he fully expects his three new signings to positively impact their European push. He said, “adding the quality we brought in, including two Swedish players, has really helped. They’ve added quality from the bench and when starting games. We’ve had 10 goals from substitute appearances or involvement, which shows how ready our players are to come in and change games.”
Skinner also praised Anna Sandberg and claimed the Swede is on course to be one of the best left-backs in the global women’s game.
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Key to victory
Finally, Skinner was asked about what type of challenge he expects Atlético to present. He claimed, “Atlético’s ability to attack and change the game quickly. Their front two are lively and creative. We also know Veries well — she can pick out a pass if given time.”
He continued, “for us, it’s about controlling the game but also imposing ourselves. We respect their quality, but we have to put our stamp on the game and attack them. I don’t think you can sit back and try to draw either leg — both teams will try to win both games. That gives you the best chance of progressing.”
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