Lily Maxwell
Manchester United Women will take on Bayern Munich in Germany tonight in the second leg of their quarter-final.
The Red Devils find themselves 2-3 down from the first leg, which was played at Old Trafford last week.
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Head coach Marc Skinner, whose job is reportedly under pressure, spoke to the press ahead of the huge match.
Commenting on the first leg, Skinner claimed, “we know we’ve played a fantastic team at Old Trafford. We conceded goals we normally wouldn’t, but we’re still in the tie. As long as we’re in it, we know it’s one big opportunity. The players have worked incredibly hard, so coming here with a chance to reach the semi-finals is a huge motivation.”
No new injury boosts
When asked about the potential return of the likes of Ella Toone and Anna Sandberg, Skinner replied, “no new players are back, so it’s the same squad. Leah (Galton) is unavailable for the Champions League, but everyone else is fit and ready.”
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He also confirmed that United will be without top scorer Elisabeth Terland, as the match will come a bit too soon for her. Skinner also asserted that she will likely miss the international break with Norway, and it is too soon to put a timeline on her return.
What was missing
The head coach did admit that Terland’s goals will be missed, but that the team’s general composure in front of goal has been a problem area.
He explained, “I believe in this team. The main thing missing in the first leg was composure in the final third. We need to sharpen that.”
Skinner also praised the stadium and occasion, and claimed that if his side were to get through, it would rank up alongside the 2024 FA Cup victory as his greatest achievement at the club.
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Hanna Lundkvist
The Swede also joined her boss to face the press ahead of the match.
Commenting on the occasion, she claimed, “it’s something I’ve always dreamed of—playing in the Champions League. It’s very different from America, with the stadiums and culture. I really appreciate being here and I’m super excited for tomorrow. We know how big the game is.”
She also stressed her teammates were solely focused on completing a sensational turnaround to make it to the last four.
Lundkvist finished by asserting that Bayern “have a lot of individual quality. It was a tough game. We conceded goals we shouldn’t have, especially from balls over the top. We had good possession at times, but we need to be more precise in the final third and create better chances.”
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The match will kick off today at 17:45 BST.
Featured image Molly Darlington via Getty Images
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