Manchester United Women v Atletico Madrid Women match programme, UWCL, 19.02.26

INSide

YOUR MATCH PROGRAMME

HEAD COACH’S COLUMN

TALK OF THE TERRACE

CAPTAIN’S COLUMN

UWCL INFOGRAPHIC & PREVIEW

ROLFO EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

PHALLON’S LUCKY 7

MUW ACADEMY

FAN MESSAGES

THE OPPOSITION

JUNIOR REDS

STATS AT THE BACK

ADDED-TIME QUIZ

MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

Co-chairmen Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer

Directors Bryan Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Michael Edelson, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Gill CBE, Omar Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford Secretary Rebecca Britain

Honorary president Martin Edwards

MATCH PROGRAMME TEAM

Editor Charlie Ghagan Contributors Mikey Partington, Helen Rowe-Willcocks, Sean Mullan, Jamie Spencer, Matt Brown, Matt Holt, Isaac Stacey Stronge, Will Valentine

Design Tom Chase Photography Poppy Townson, Ash Donelon, Zohaib Alam, Getty, Alamy Thanks to Ellie Decrop, Paul Davies, John Shiel, Mark Froggatt Printed by MuPrint.com © Manchester United 2026

SKINNER Marc

WITH HIS REDS DIGGING DEEP ON SUNDAY TO EXTEND OUR UNBEATEN RUN TO 11 GAMES, THE BOSS HAS BEEN REMINDING HIS SQUAD OF WHAT’S NEEDED TO KEEP IT GOING, STARTING WITH THE UWCL VISIT OF ATLETICO...

Welcome back to the Progress With Unity Stadium for our latest Champions League night under the floodlights.

I was really pleased with the performance against Atleti last week in Madrid on a testing pitch. Despite the fact we are going into this second game with a 3-0 lead, we need to be fully prepared for a hard battle – our opponents are not going to lie down without a fight. They will be showing desire to attack our box, and we’ll need to do the same.

The performance last week was a really professional one. We were ruthless in front of goal and we defended as a whole team, which is really important in how we set up. We knew the pitch was going to make it difficult but I am really proud with how the players handled it on the night.

We’ve had open and honest conversations about what ‘performance’ in action looks like, rather than generic rhetoric. It’s about clear, defined action. It’s about behaviour and body language, energy, and showing no disappointment. These are all key factors going into a game, so that the players are prepared and know what their role is within the team. We feel it’s important to describe accountability and ensure the players buy into that. We’re on a strong run at the moment and it’s important to keep that going. The fans who were in Madrid were incredible, with the energy you committed, and it’s fantastic to keep creating history together. We’ve always said we want to win both of these games so tonight we’ll need you once again to be as amazing as ever.

We’vehadopenconversations aboutwhat ‘performance’ lookslike--It’saboutbehaviour, bodylanguage,energy,and showingnodisappointment

picture THE BIG

SINGING IN THE RAIN (IN SPAIN)

Last week’s trip to Madrid was a special one for our loyal Red Army. New friendships were formed while existing ones were forged; the late kick-off allowed for a spot of sightseeing, even for the day-trippers (there’s more than enough to see in Spain’s capital to justify two visits in one season!); and a ruthless display on the pitch at Atletico’s home saw us to a 3-0 win – a result and performance that eclipsed our victory at the same stadium four months earlier.

A larger allocation for away fans compared to that October league-phase fixture was welcomed by our

official supporters’ club (MUWSC), with even the rain unable to dampen the spirits of those singing up for the visitors (including a debut for Ellen Wangerheim’s chant, which we look forward to hearing again tonight). “When it started raining, the home fans ran for cover while we all stood there singing, ‘It’s just like being at home!’, MUWSC secretary Marc Henry (right of picture) tells us. “And the stadium announcer getting the names of the substitutes wrong was just as amusing!”

Such shared memories are the very essence of following a team away from home; the often incidental moments that serve to bond the fanbase further, leaving everyone present pondering the next trip (hopefully one to Munich if we can finish the job tonight). “It was a really enjoyable trip, but the most important part was the win and the way the team reacted to the fans [inset],” adds Marc. So to the 34 Reds in this photo, and the many others who made it over to Madrid, we salute you...

Terrace TAlk ofthe

ALL THE CHAT AHEAD OF AN IMPORTANT UWCL SECOND LEG

Welcome back to Leigh, Reds! We were last here just four days ago in the WSL, but it’s tantalising Champions League football on the menu this evening... It’s certainly a big night. It would be fair to say that signs of our hectic schedule were perhaps showing at the tailend of last week, with Sunday’s visitors London City Lionesses bossing the first 20 minutes and making it pay early on courtesy of a name we’re very familiar with: Nikita Parris. It was only thanks

to a moment of brilliance from Jess Park that we regained a foothold in the game before half-time, setting the stage for Millie Turner to bag the winner in her first league start since September (incidentally against the same opponents). Park’s amazing solo effort, gliding past defenders before squeezing a shot beyond goalkeeper Elene Lete, came in the same week she claimed January’s Barclays WSL Goal of the Month for her effort against Aston Villa, a similarly mazy run at Villa Park. After her work here over the weekend, it’d be no shock at all to see her back in the running for February’s award!

Indeed. And that 2-1 comeback win took our unbeaten run to 11 games –hopefully in tonight’s Champions League assignment we can hit the dozen... Here’s hoping. It’s our third meeting with Atletico Madrid this season, of course, but our first on home soil and also the first-ever European knockout tie held on our own turf. The first of those three games saw us record a slender 1-0 win in the league-phase clash, made trickier by a first-half red card for Dominique Janssen, so it was nice to see Marc Skinner’s side control the second meeting in Spain last week. Las Rojiblancas took more shots, outperformed our xG and edged the possession, but it was credit to our brilliance in front of goal and structure off

the ball that they never really looked in the game, and Jose Herrera’s Atleti now have a mountain to climb if they are to progress. What other positives were there from the first leg?

It was nice that our 3-0 win came courtesy of a trio of scorers – Elisabeth Terland, Melvine Malard and Julia Zigiotti. The last of that three has been a revelation in an attacking sense lately. Before the middle of January, Zigiotti hadn’t scored for us since signing last summer – in just under a month, she’s cranked that tally up to four, with one coming directly from the corner flag! That she’s also provided two assists in that four-week window only adds to the impression that she’s a growing creative force in our side. Keep it up, Julia!

It’s often said that a wide spread of scorers is a sign of a particularly dangerous team... Yep, and the good news is that Zigiotti’s form feeds into a wider trend at United at the minute, which has seen 13 different Reds notch the 21 goals we’ve scored over our current 11-game unbeaten streak. Even accounting for recent injuries to attacking threats Ella Toone, Leah Galton and Fridolina Rolfo, it’s an great scenario for Skinner, who can go into each game confident that there are goals in any XI he picks – crucial for our jam-packed calendar this term.

What’s next in the schedule, then?

Although the WSL action is now suspended for just under a month, the games won’t stop – before the upcoming international fixtures, there’s the next round of FA Cup ties this weekend, in which we face current champions Chelsea in a re-run of last season’s final. We can hold those thoughts for after tonight though, with this UWCL clash the main priority in all our minds for now. We start tonight’s game with a three-goal advantage in the two-legged tie, but rest assured that Skinner will be keen to guard against complacency. However comfortable our position may be, our place in the quarter-finals isn’t guaranteed until the final whistle blows. C’mon, United. ●

FOUR DAYS AGO... Reds fight back to beat London City as

winning run extends to seven

Sunday afternoon here in Leigh saw United come from behind to beat London City Lionesses 2-1 and make it seven wins in a row across all competitions.

Ex-United forward Nikita Parris opened the scoring for the visitors five minutes in, before a Jess Park strike and a Millie Turner header turned the game on its head and sealed the home win.

It was not a perfect performance by any stretch, but with the game falling between our two UWCL meetings with Atletico Madrid, picking up the win and retaining second place in the table was key.

Despite United pressure in the opening exchanges, it was Parris who made the quick breakthrough, as she latched onto a Freya Godfrey cross and headed home.

It took some time for the Reds to get up to speed and that saw the Lionesses have further chances, with Maya Le Tissier doing well to deny Parris a second.

United levelled in the 30th minute as Park’s powerful attempt from outside the box, after she’d raced forward with the ball, was superbly whipped into the corner of the London City net.

That was our first proper chance of the game, despite us seeing the majority of possession, and that balance of play continued into the second half, where much of the play remained in midfield.

That was until the 79th minute, when a delightful free-kick from Le Tissier was placed towards the near post. The ball bounced and

finally found its way through to the captain’s centre-back partner Turner, who met it with a thumping header to give the Reds the lead. It was Millie’s first goal since January last year, and how she enjoyed the moment.

The visitors weren’t out of it yet, though, with the contest opening up in the final minutes as Eder Maestre’s side chased a leveller. A claim by Tullis-Joyce following an corner kept the score at 2-1, before a cross from Godfrey flashed across our goal as she tried to find an equaliser moments later.

Then, in the last ticks of the game, a header by Isobel Goodwin made its way across the face of the target and caused a brief scare as it whistled wide of the target.

The hard-fought win was confirmed seconds after, with Skinner calling it “one of the biggest wins of the season” in his post-match interview, considering the many injury absentees in his squad and the team’s current schedule, spread across four competitions. The result keeps us second in the WSL table until the next run of games, which isn’t until Sunday 15 March.

Maya THE CAPTAIN

UNITED’S SKIPPER ON THE NEED TO BE CONFIDENT AND CLINICAL TONIGHT, AND WHY SHE MADE AN UNUSUAL DECISION DURING LAST WEEK’S GAME...

Iwould like to start these notes by saying thank you to all our fans, especially those who we were able to travel to Madrid last week. We could hear you from the first whistle and it was great to get a result for you. I can’t wait to hear your energy once again tonight – these Champions League nights are so special.

It was a very positive result and performance last week in the first leg. The conditions were difficult but we didn’t let that affect us. We accepted it and we stuck to our gameplan really well. A lot of credit has to go to the staff as much as the players for

getting us ready for the game and it was a great result to bring back to Leigh.

It’s really important for us to be confident in our abilities. We know that on any day we can beat any team but Atletico have some excellent players and we have to be ready to go toe-to-toe with them once again. This tie is not over yet and we know there are areas in which we can improve. We have a good lead but we have to make sure we continue to be clinical.

I think everyone has been talking about the armband swap during last week’s game. I made a call as the captain that I thought was in the best interest of the team. I knew that if I got a yellow card then I’d be banned for the next game and I didn’t want to risk it. It was about relieving the pressure off me so I gave the armband to Dom to talk to the referee, which was a pretty hard job on the night.

the FINAL 12

A QUICK GUIDE TO THE DOZEN SIDES TO PROGRESS BEYOND THIS SEASON’S UWCL LEAGUE PHASE...

ARSENAL

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 5

BEST UWCL SEASON: WINNERS (2006/07, 2024/25)

ATLETICO MADRID

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 11

BEST UWCL SEASON: QUARTER-FINALS (2019/20)

JUVENTUS

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 8

BEST UWCL SEASON: QUARTER-FINALS (2021/22)

OH LEUVEN

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 12

BEST UWCL SEASON: KNOCKOUT PHASE PLAY-OFFS (2025/26)*

MANCHESTER UNITED

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 6

BEST UWCL SEASON: KNOCKOUT PHASE PLAY-OFFS (2025/26)*

PARIS FC

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 10

BEST UWCL SEASON: SEMI-FINALS (2012/13)

REAL MADRID

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 7

BEST UWCL SEASON: QUARTER-FINALS (2021/22, 2024/25)

WOLFSBURG

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 9

BEST UWCL SEASON: WINNERS (2012/13, 2013/14)

Will Las Rojiblancas or the Reds be joining the quarter-final pack? Tonight we’ll find out...

STRAIGHT INTO THE QUARTER-FINALS...

BARCELONA

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 1

BEST UWSL SEASON: WINNERS (2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24)

BAYERN MUNICH

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 4

BEST UWCL SEASON: SEMI-FINALS (2018/19, 2020/21)

CHELSEA

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 3

BEST UWCL SEASON: RUNNERS-UP (2020/21 )

OL LYONNES

LEAGUE PHASE POSITION: 2

BEST UWCL SEASON: WINNERS (2010/11, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22)

AiMiNg fOr the quArters

THE KNOCKOUT PHASE PLAY-OFFS WILL BE CONCLUDED TONIGHT -WITH THE VICTORIOUS TEAMS PROGESSING TO THE LAST EIGHT...

As the first whistle blows here in Leigh, the three other knockout round play-off ties will all be confirmed, with two taking place last night, and one kicking off at 5.45pm (UK time) today.

All eight teams are vying for a place in the quarter-finals, with the winners already knowing who will await them next, should they win over the course of their two-legged tie – Bayern Munich being our opposition in the last eight should we hold onto our healthy lead against Atletico Madrid.

Kicking off the week’s action was Real Madrid hosting Paris FC at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in the Spanish capital in the first Wednesday fixture.

The first leg proved entertaining, with the French side taking the lead early on through an awesome backpost volley by Kaja Koroshec from a corner. Las Blancas hit back in style, however, with two quickfire goals from Caroline Weir and Athenea del Castillo establishing a lead just before the interval. Linda Caicedo added a third for Real Madrid with just seven minutes left to play, only for Maeline Mendy to keep the tie interesting with an even later effort, meaning Paris FC headed back to the French capital looking to address just a one-goal deficit.

The winner of that tie will meet Barcelona in the quarter-finals, setting up the potential of a mouth-watering Clasico with a lot on the line.

Juventusmayrue givingupatwo-goal

Things were decidedly less close heading into the second match of the week, which saw Arsenal welcome OH Leuven to Borehamwood in last night’s 8pm slot. The Gunners ran out 4-0 winners in Belgium last week, with Frida Maanum (2), Olivia Smith and former Red Alessia Russo all on the scoresheet. While OHL did level a couple of testing shots at Daphne van Domselaar’s goal, they were left needing a minor miracle at Meadow Park against the current UWCL holders. Chelsea, the awaiting opposition in the next round, were likely already pencilling in an all-London clash at the end of the first 90 minutes. Then, a couple of hours before we get going against Atletico here in Leigh, the second leg of the Juventus and Wolfsburg tie got under way at the 41,000-capacity Allianz Stadium in Turin. The finely poised play-off ended level at 2-2 after late drama

last week. Juventus made a fast start in Germany as Ana Capeta netted with just six minutes on the clock, and Amalie Vangsgaard added a second for the visitors on the hour mark. However, the Saxony side, six-time winners of this competition, never know when they’re beaten, and started the fightback when Janina Minge converted from the spot. That looked like being a handy arrear-reducer as stoppage-time ticked down, but Sarai Linder went one better in the fifth added minute, picking up a loose ball from a corner and rocketing it into the top-right corner first time to level things up. Juventus may rue giving that lead up if the second leg doesn’t go their way this evening, but an equally tricky test awaits in the next round for the victors, with Lyon, the most successful UWCL side by some distance, lined up for the quarter-final.

FR

eveRyone RighT

Now is plAying With

A DOUBLE UWCL WINNER AND A FIVE-TIME FINALIST, FEW IN THE GAME KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT THIS COMPETITION AS FRIDOLINA ROLFO, AND ONCE BACK FROM A MINOR INJURY SHE’LL BE HOPING TO HELP FIRE THE REDS INTO THE LATTER STAGES...

Interview Matthew Holt

Fridolina, we’re over halfway into your first season at United, so overall, how have you found life at the club, and in Manchester so far?

It’s been great. I feel I’ve had a good start here, like in getting to know the team, and it has been great on the pitch. We’ve been performing well and now we’re still in all the tournaments.

Any favourite moments to this point – a particular goal or game you’ve been involved in? We’ve had a few, but of course it was nice to go through into the next round [the knockout phase play-offs] of the Champions League, that was a big thing. But it is hard to name any specific games. We have been having a few good moments, I would say.

And what about Manchester itself? Anything you’ve enjoyed in particular about the city? Any places you like to take your relatives to? I haven’t seen that much yet! I’ve been walking around

FACTFILE

FULL NAME Fridolina Rolfo

DATE OF BIRTH 24 Nov 1993

PLACE OF BIRTH

Kungsbacka, Sweden

POSITION Left winger/left-back

YOUTH CAREER Fjaras, Tolo

SENIOR CAREER

2011-13 Jitex, 65 apps, 16 gls

2014-16 Linkoping, 68 apps, 29 gls

2017-19 Bayern Munich, 51 apps, 24 gls

2019-21 Wolfsburg, 38 apps, 12 gls

2021-25 Barcelona, 129 apps, 38 gls

2025- Manchester United, 21 apps, 7 gls

INTERNATIONAL CAREER

2014- Sweden, 105 caps, 33 goals

the city most of the time when I’ve been having time off, but I like to explore different kinds of restaurants and coffee shops, that’s usually what I do. I hope I get to explore a little bit more nature when the spring is coming. I’ve been to a few golf courses – there’s a lot here! – so I hope to see more of them as well.

You’ve developed a knack for scoring in Europe too, including in our earlier meeting against Atletico Madrid back in October?

Yes, Julia [Zigiotti] sent in an early cross and I just remember Tooney was in front of me and I was like, ‘go for it!’ I thought she was going to score, but then the ball just dropped down. I just tried to shoot as fast as possible as it dropped. I got a good hit and scored.

What else do you remember of that game? We went down to 10 when Dominique was sent off? It was a tough game. Atletico are a technical, good team. They kept the ball a lot, but still, we knew we could win, even though we didn’t have our best game. It was a great team performance. We got a red card and the game changed a little bit, but we defended really well and I remember we had some players coming in [from the bench] and they were just giving their all. So I think that shows we have a great squad; we have players who do everything for the team.

Have you noticed much difference in playing styles between teams here and in Spain, with you having spent four years in the country?

I’d say it’s different. Here, it’s a bit more direct, but you can also see some teams that do want to have a longer build-up. So I think it depends which team you’re talking about, but in Spain, it was that all teams wanted to keep the ball, so that’s the big difference.

How has it been for you to play in Europe with United? You are obviously well versed having won the competition twice... It has been fun. It’s a first time for the club, so it’s also a new experience for many of the girls. It feels like we have this, I don’t know how to explain it, like the young [players], there’s a little bit of not knowing what to expect from the team. But it feels like it’s a more experienced team than what it is. People are going in and giving the same on the pitch, they are not feared. Maybe they were a little bit nervous when the Champions League started, but everyone is playing with confidence. We’ve had a great campaign so far and I hope we can continue having great results because we’ve been performing well.

And the teams we’ve faced haven’t been easy either – Lyon, Wolfsburg, PSG are all big-hitters in this competition over recent years... They are teams with a lot of experience in the Champions League and some of those you mentioned have won it more than one time. So it’s tough out there and there are more and more teams who can win the Champions League now. The competition is getting harder and harder and I think that’s also something you have to remember, that it’s not easy. It doesn’t matter which team you play, it’s tough and especially from now on [it will be]. It needs a bit extra, like we need something extra in those games to win in the Champions League because it’s not the English teams we are used to playing against. It’s teams with different styles so you need to prepare yourself a little bit differently.

You mention there about having something extra – do you think this United team has another gear to find? We are still in four competitions so the chance is there to make this a special season... I would say so. We play as a team and we work really hard for each other, so I think that’s something we need to bring to the tough moments within those games. For example, recently, when we played Aston Villa away, we had a tough first half, but we still believed and we knew we could win and then we scored many goals. So I think we just need to remember those situations when we’ve been having tough games and to learn things from them and take it with us because it’s not going to be easy.

We added some new faces across the winter in Lea, Hanna and Ellen, who could all be important players between now and the end of the season...

therearemore andmoreteams whocanwinthe ChampionsLeague now.Thecompetition isgettingharder

They’ve been fitting in well to the team. All of them are great girls, very kind, and great footballers as well. I think it will be very interesting to see them growing and helping the team for the rest of the season.

Ellen and Hanna you will know from the Swedish national team, of course – did they speak to you at all about United before moving here? I knew both of them were coming here, so I could chat a lot [to them], especially with Hanna because we are good friends in the national team and of course, she had a lot of questions before she signed! It was nice to help and to tell her about everything. I told her how it was here and in the end, she decided to come. A great signing! Hanna’s a fantastic player too, and still young.

What did you get up to over the winter break? We understand you headed back to Sweden for Christmas and New Year... It was great. When you live abroad, you miss the

Our in-form no.12 has four goals in her last three home appearances

family and you want to get back home when you can, so it was lovely to see family and friends and enjoy Christmas back at home. I was missing the snow, so it would have been nice to have a winter landscape [when back in Sweden], but even still, it was just nice spending time with the ones you love the most.

Have you set any personal targets between now and the end of the season?

I wouldn’t say I have like a main goal or anything. Right now it feels like you just want to win as many games as possible and to go far in the tournaments. I’m someone, when I was younger, I was more like that [setting targets], but now it’s more just ‘on to the next game’, and ‘what is the aim from that game?’ I take it a little bit slower than what I did before.

And Leigh has been a pretty imperious place for us. You operate on the left-hand side so you must see and hear plenty from our fans in the stands – what’s it like to be so well received by them? It feels great. When I’m playing, I hear them the whole game and feel the support. They’re really active! I would say the fans are great, they’re cheering for us and they’re singing, they have all these songs and also after games they really want to have contact with you, to talk to you and you can see that they are showing

thefansgiveusalot ofenergy,andwefeel thesupportfromthem, especiallyinthose toughmoments

up for every game. That gives us a lot of energy, and we feel the support from them, especially in those tough moments when we know they’re there for us.

What would making it through another round in the UWCL mean to you and this tight-knit squad?

Oh, that would mean a lot. I think already now we’ve made history with this club, by being in the Champions League and reaching this stage, but continuing that would be, I think for some of those players who never played it before, such a big thing. To get to a quarter finals, it’s something very special and I really hope that we get to experience that.

Season 2024/25

1,324 signed and charitable items distributed

517k+ total free-of-charge attendances at sessions and events 41% female participation

£2.3m raised by fans and fundraising

41,289

125 unique participants projects

mufoundation.org/ourimpact

Park JESS

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PARTNER OF MANCHESTER UNITED

DIXONS’ DELIGHT!

Reds duo join football sessions with female pupils at partner school

Female participants from Dixons Brooklands Academy in Wythenshawe were pleased to welcome United players Lisa Naalsund and Mared Griffiths into a recent football session.

The Reds pair visited the school, which has been partnered with Manchester United Foundation for almost two decades, to join a series of football activities and share advice on leadership with a group of student sport leaders.

That included taking part in matches with the young people, after which Mared joked: “I nutmegged Lisa and got a goal and an assist, so that wasn’t too bad!”

Mared – who has since joined Sunderland on loan – and Lisa also joined a question-and-answer session with the group of pupils, sharing stories of their careers so far and encouraging the young people to continue pursuing their goals and follow their dreams.

“It’s really important work that the Foundation does,” said Lisa. “I spoke to one girl who had started playing football because she saw women playing on TV, which is really inspiring. Coming here to see community and togetherness is brilliant.”

Mared added: “We were getting involved in the games and it was really nice to see how

the kids progressed from the start of the session to the end. I enjoyed being part of that.”

One of the students, Angel, a regular at United Women fixtures, said: “It’s meant a lot that the players have visited us. All the fans have dreams to meet the players, and it’s nice to actually do that and meet the people who you watch all the time. They were really nice and inspiring.”

Her classmate, Clem, added: “I think it will help me a lot in the future to keep following my dreams and to do what I want to do.”

Another pupil, Alisha, felt meeting Lisa and Mared would motivate her. “I used to play but then I stopped for a bit,” she said. “I’m just getting back into it and this will help me a lot.”

For more, visit mufoundation.org

2. ANNA SANDBERG

The 22-year-old full-back – capped 10 times by Sweden – picked up a slight knock in the first leg against Atletico, causing her to miss Sunday’s win against London City.

3. GABBY GEORGE

It was Gabby who replaced Anna after 49 minutes a week ago, and the defender would have been pleased with the clean sheet. She also played left-back on Sunday.

SQUAD SN APSHOTs

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE IN RED

MAYA LE TISSIER 7. ELLA TOONE

Toone has been dealing with a hip injury, but is close to a return. The last time she was out, she returned in fine form, winning WSL Player of the Month for January 2025.

ELISABETH TERLAND

Teri’s well-struck finish in Madrid gave us the perfect start a week ago – her 14th goal of the season, eight of which have come from nine European appearances.

The skipper showed moments of defensive brilliance in Madrid as we kept the hosts at bay. Tonight she’s set to move into fifth place in our all-time appearances list.

HANNA LUNDKVIST 8. JESS PARK

The fleet-footed no.8 has quite the highlights reel from her first term with the Reds – Jess’s latest stunning strike coming on Sunday, her eighth goal in 27 appearances.

The 23-year-old Swedish defender – who spent three seasons with Atletico between 2021-24 – has already made seven appearances since her New Year’s Day arrival.

MELVINE MALARD

With a goal and two assists, Mel was named Player of the Match last Thursday in the Spanish capital, before she missed Sunday’s WSL win due to illness.

LEAH GALTON 12. FRIDOLINA ROLFO

A back issue has kept Leah out in recent weeks, but Skinner is “hopeful she’ll be back on the field going into the international break” at the end of this month.

Having picked up an injury in our recent win at Leicester, Rolfo has been on the sidelines. She’d been in fine form in the weeks prior to that, thanks to her lethal left foot.

Also currently on the Reds’ roster for the 2025/26 season: 1. KAYLA RENDELL (GK);

Simi had a good January, starting two cup ties while netting her first Reds goal, v Burnley. She played in a more attacking midfield role in that game, as she did on Sunday.

16. LISA NAALSUND

The Norwegian scored two of our three goals against Liverpool to start the month, and she’s now on 65 appearances (with eight goals) since her 2023 arrival from Brann.

19. ELLEN WANGERHEIM

Should you recall the old Adnan Januzaj chant (Ooh-Wakka-DooWakka-Day by Gilbert O’Sullivan), it’s now been adapted for Ellen! Sunday was her fourth Reds start.

13. SIMI AWUJO 14. JAYDE RIVIERE

LEA SCHULLER

The German international – with a superb record of 54 goals from 82 caps – joined the Reds in late December, and she made her fourth start in attack on Sunday.

Only a point-blank save prevented Riviere from scoring in the first leg, but she could be absent tonight, having left the action through injury as we beat London City.

17. DOMINIQUE JANSSEN

Our two games against Atletico have been memorable for Dom –a red card in October’s clash, and then she wore the armband last week at captain Maya’s request!

20. HINATA MIYAZAWA

Miyazawa has been a mainstay in midfield this term. Only her and Le Tissier have appeared in all 30 games to date in all competitions, with Hini starting 29 of them.

15. CELIN BIZET DONNUM

The Norwegian, who joined United from Spurs in 2024, is expecting a baby, meaning she’ll be watching from the sidelines for the months ahead.

18.

JULIA ZIGIOTTI

She wasn’t signed for her goals, but nobody’s been complaining about Zigiotti’s recent scoring streak! Her tidy finish in the first leg completed the 3-0 scoreline.

21. MILLIE TURNER

Sunday’s game was Millie T’s first start since September, with her goal completing our comeback – her 12th goal in 181 games, with only Toone playing more times.

SAFIA MIDDLETONPATEL 91. PHALLON TULLISJOYCE

The young Welsh international goalkeeper – capped seven times for her country – made her WSL and UWCL debuts this season, after her first-team bow in ’24/25.

With Atletico having 12 shots in the first leg, our keeper had to be at her very best, pulling off four impressive saves to preserve her 14th clean sheet of the season.

Interview Charlie Ghagan

LUCKY

SeVEN

A

RED RANDOMLY PICKS SEVEN BOXES, EACH CONTAINING AN OFFBEAT POSER. PHALLON TULLIS-JOYCE, STEP FORWARD!

Q: What’s a film you’ve seen over 10 times?

“One of my comfort movies I’d watch on goalkeeper camp, when feeling lonely and away from home, was Taxi with Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah. The humour is just so great for me, starting with the scene where Queen Latifah is riding her bike, although it’s obviously not her! I’ve watched it loads but it’s a bit of a precious movie for me now – I’ll save it for good moments, like when a friend hasn’t seen it I’ll be like, ‘let’s watch it together!’”

Q: What do you remember about your professional debut?

“I was with Stade de Reims in France, and although I’d already played, my first top-division match came against Montpellier in 2019. I’d just watched the Women’s World Cup in France that summer, and I was obviously enamoured by all the players in front of me. Valerie Gauvin was at the halfway line for the kick-off. She’d just been playing for the French national team and was the first proper star I’d ever seen in a game I was involved in. I was starstruck in that moment to see her and play against her [Gauvin and her Montpellier team-mates won 2-0.]”

Q: What superpower would you want for a day?

“Oh, if I could just hop in the ocean, breathe while underwater, and spend the day with all the critters, I would love that. I do that as often as I can, but with all the scuba gear on, so that would definitely be my superpower – to grow some gills for the day!”

Q: What’s your favourite city to visit?

“I’m more of a nature kind of girl, but a city I loved going to was Antigua in Guatemala. It’s a gorgeous city with so much old architecture. None of the buildings were more than one or two storeys, and

then you’re encased by all these volcanoes that are just, like, beside you! You feel like you’re back in time – there are cobblestone roads and tiny cars. It was three years ago when I went there. I did a backpacking trip through Central America.”

Q: Do you believe in horoscopes?

“I don’t know if I’d say that I believe in them, but I’ll entertain them. I’m a Libra. I like a fortune cookie as well, and the Chinese zodiac signs –I’m a rat, so I always check what’s going on with the rats! [Laughs] I just find it fun.”

i’malibra,ilike fortunecookies, andtheChinese zodiac--I’marat, so I alwayscheck what’sgoingon withtherats!

Q: Where is the most unlikely place you’ve been recognised?

“This actually happened just recently, when I was going on an expedition to the Amazon rainforest in Peru. I was lucky enough to join a scientist there – her research was on stingless bees – and I was staying in a hostel, because I’m a cheapskate [laughs], a bit outside of Lima. The front-desk woman and the cleaning woman both recognised me from social media and had seen some of the saves I’ve made. They were so sweet. A big shout-out to them if they read the United programme!”

Q: Do you have a sporting inspiration from another sport?

“I grew up watching the New York Knicks [basketball] and New York Islanders [ice hockey]. My mom took me to the games, and I used to love Mark Streit, who was captain for the Islanders. I really love hockey, it really grabs me. I’d have the giant hockey jerseys and I loved watching him as a captain, seeing how he controlled the ice. And also how kind he was to the fans. I always think about that when we have our young fans around now, to make sure we give them time, as they’ve given us their time. I’m trash at skating, though!”

MUW ACADEMY

BEATING THE BLUES

Our U21s record a huge win at Kingsmeadow, to keep the Reds near the top of the table...

seven goals, six scorers

A bumper crowd of 700 watched on as our Under-21s beat Chelsea 7-1 in the Professional Game Academy League Division One at the start of February. A dominant win at Kingsmeadow was made sweeter as six different players all notched in the victory over the Blues. Layla Drury netted a brace, fresh off the back of her debut goal for the first team against Burnley in the FA Cup, while Holly Minshull, Aaliyah Pearson, Poppy Holt, Lucy Robinson and Sienna Wareing also found the net in a comprehensive success.

REFLECTIONS AND PRAISE

That win pushed the Reds closer to the top of a competitive league table, with a 1-1 draw against Sunderland following a few days later. Martha Allington scored our only goal, with Sunderland taking a bonus point after winning 4-2 on penalties. “It was great for the girls to experience a night-game under the lights, especially with the opportunity to play in front of 700 fans,” said Academy manager Amanda Goodwin. “These girls didn’t disappoint with an emphatic win, but most pleasing was the manner of what looked to be a real Manchester United performance.” There was special praise for Allington, who after overcoming a lengthy ACL injury, has two goals in two games upon her return. Great work, Martha!

DRURY’s a BALLER!

This season, the FA has linked up with popular social media page ‘She’s A Baller’, with the two collaborating to crown a ‘Baller of the Round’ from each phase of the Women’s FA Cup. After scoring on her official senior debut in the win against Burnley (becoming our youngest ever scorer in the process, at 16 years and 220 days

old), Drury scooped the accolade for the fourth round. “I just want to say a massive thank you to all the fans for supporting me and for voting for me,” said the Welsh forward after collecting her prize at Carrington. “I’m really grateful I’ve won this trophy and I’m just overall really, really happy,”

U16s up for the challenge

Elsewhere in the Academy, our U16 girls are currently sitting third in the JPL boys’ league –a fantastic achievement for the team given the stern challenges they face in such games. They also have a Champions Cup quarter-final to look forward to on 28 February, at home against Durham. A whole host of players from that specific team have been selected for both England and Wales in the upcoming MIMA Cup in Spain, which takes place at varying age groups of the girls’ game. The tournament serves as important preparation for round two of qualification for the UEFA Women’s U17 European Championship, which is scheduled for March. Good luck to all those from United who have been chosen for their country!

Stands IN THE WHO’S HERE

← Happy 16th birthday Lola – love Mum, Dad and Scott.

↑ Happy 80th birthday to David for today! He’s here with his wife, son and family.

→ Here’s Poppy, Arthur and their Dad celebrating his 50th at Sunday’s game.

FOR TONIGHT’S BIG GAME?

→ Gary Mathews recently celebrated his 40th birthday – Phoebe hopes you have a brilliant night!

↑ Happy 11th birthday to season ticket holder Lois. Her favourite player? Yep, it’s Jess!

← This is Izzy and Kimmie (aka Maya and Jayde’s biggest fans)

↑ These six Reds were in Madrid last week – love the shirts (and the hats!)

● A birthday shout-out to Charlotte Garvey –she turned 16 on 16 February. We hope you enjoyed your celebrations, Charlotte!

● Happy 16th birthday also to Lucy, who is a big fan of Jayde Riviere – love Mum, Dad, Ryan, Lily, Becs, Annmarie and Chloe.

● A very happy 13th birthday to Rosie. All the best!

● A group of Reds from Doncaster have made the journey from South Yorkshire tonight, and Lisa, Bex and Tom would like to thank Paul for doing all the driving!

● Layla Holmes is a real fan of her namesake Drury, and she hopes to see our teenage forward back on the pitch tonight.

Live every week on Sky Sports, BBC, and YouTube.

ATLETICO MADRID

Before Barcelona re-emerged as Spain’s dominant force at the turn of the decade, Atletico Madrid were the team to beat. Reformed in 2001 after an earlier iteration was disbanded, they achieved top-flight status by 2006 and just over a decade later were champions three seasons in a row. Homegrown legend Jenni Hermoso returned for the third of those triumphs after earlier winning two titles with Barcelona. Yet the prolific forward’s second move to Barça, in 2019, was symbolic of the balance of power shifting back to Catalonia, with Atleti finishing 2nd, 4th, 4th, 4th, 3rd and 3rd in the last six campaigns. United aside, tonight’s opponents are familiar with English opposition and have played in Manchester twice before, knocking City out at the last 32 and last 16 in 2018/19 and 2019/20 respectively. They weren’t so lucky against Chelsea a year later, however, losing in the Round of 16.

RECENT FORM

Atletico’s current season so far can be split into two halves. They started well, picking seven wins from 11 Liga F games up to mid-November and only losing – heavily (0-6) it must be said – against Barcelona during that run. But a thumping 4-0 Champions League victory over Twente on matchday four of the league phase was then the last in any competition for 11 weeks in Spain and Europe. The 11-game slump, which did include an impressive 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich secured with a late Fiamma equaliser, cost head coach Victor Martin his job last month. Four days before United’s win in Madrid, new boss Jose Herrera (pictured left) oversaw a narrow 1-0 triumph over last-place Levante in his third game – one the club hoped might serve as a reset heading into an important time of the season.

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR...

Young forward Fiamma scored four times during six league phase appearances to help lead her team into this stage of the 2025/26 Champions League. Only 21, the Alicante-born player is a bright hope for club and country, capped at senior level by Spain as early as 2022. Fiamma was “not happy” with her team’s performance after the first leg, believing Atleti had the “tools” to get closer to United. In midfield, set-piece expert Vilde Boe Risa (below) made 44 United appearances and scored eight goals during her time here between 2021-23.

The Norwegian, who played her way into Liga F’s 2024/25 Team of the Year, said in October that facing the Reds means “playing against friends”.

A loose Boe Risa pass led to our opener last week, but she came closer than any team-mate to scoring, with a 25-yard free-kick that struck the bar.

LAST UWCL LINE-UP

v MANCHESTER UNITED

ABOUT OUR OPPONENTS...

Formed: 2001

Nicknames:

Atleti, Las Rojiblancas (The Red and Whites) Best achievement: Spanish league champions 1989/90, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19; Copa de la Reina, 2016, 2023; Supercopa de Espana, 2020/21

Last season: Liga F 3rd place; Copa de la Reina runners-up; Supercopa de Espana semi-final; UWCL first qualifying round; top scorers (all comps): Gio Garbelini, Rasheedat Ajibade (8)

Record v United: P2 W0 D0 L2 F0 A4

the leaders

Jose Herrera began work less than four weeks ago, marking a return to Spain for the 36-year-old after a spell with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Women’s Premier League. A native of Tenerife, he began coaching aged 16 and has studied football in the United States and Sweden along the way. Herrera led Liga F side Tenerife prior to moving to the Gulf in 2024. On the pitch, club captain Lola Gallardo rejoined Atletico in 2021 and has spent 13 of the last 14 seasons – sandwiching a brief stint at Lyon –keeping goal for the team. It was Gallardo’s love for Atleti that drove her return, grateful for the “luxury” experience but admitting the “spark went out” of her game while in France. “You always want to go back to where you’re happy,” she added.

FACTS & FUNNIES FROM FRED THE RED!

(ANSWERS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE)

MAP MYSTERY

WHICH FOUR OF THESE NATIONS HAVE WE PLAYED IN THIS SEASON? (AND CAN YOU CIRCLE THEM ON THE MAP?!)

BELGIUM

SKINNER STATS

FIVE QUESTIONS ON OUR BOSS AFTER HE RECENTLY REACHED 150 UNITED GAMES!

1. IN WHICH YEAR WAS HE APPOINTED REDS BOSS: 2021 OR 2023?

2. WHO WERE HIS FIRST OPPONENTS AS UNITED MANAGER: EVERTON OR READING?

3. WHO WAS TOP SCORER DURING HIS FIRST SEASON IN CHARGE: ALESSIA RUSSO OR ELLA TOONE?

4. HOW MANY FA CUP FINALS HAS HE TAKEN THE REDS TO: TWO OR THREE?

5. NAME THE OPPONENTS FOR HIS 150TH GAME: ARSENAL OR CHELSEA?

HAT-TRICK HEROES

THREE PLAYERS TO HAVE REPRESENTED UNITED HAVE PREVIOUSLY BAGGED CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TREBLES (EXCLUDING QUALIFYING ROUNDS)...

ONA BATLLE LUCIA GARCIA IRENE GUERRERO SPANISH STARS

POSITION: DEFENCE

SIGNED: JUL 2020

GAMES/GOALS: 77/3

BEST MOMENT: A FINE FINISH v READING IN LEIGH, DURING OUR 2021/22 WSL OPENER

POSITION: FORWARD SIGNED: JUL 2022

GAMES/GOALS: 60/16

BEST MOMENT: TWO GOALS IN THE 2024 FA CUP WIN AS THE REDS LIFTED THE TROPHY!

SEVEN MORE SPANIARDS TO PLAY FOR UNITED’S MEN’S TEAM – HOW MANY CAN YOU REMEMBER?

RICARDO, GERARD PIQUE, DAVID DE GEA, JUAN MATA, ANDER HERRERA, VICTOR VALDES & SERGIO REGUILON

POSITION: MIDFIELD SIGNED: SEP 2023

GAMES/GOALS: 7/0

BEST MOMENT: NO GOALS, BUT A BRILLIANT ASSIST FOR NIKITA PARRIS AS WE BEAT EVERTON IN OCT ’23

MANCHESTER UNITED

FOLLOW ALONG Helping our young people tell their stories.

UNITED APPEARANCES & GOALS, 2025/26

STATS AT THE BACK

WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TABLE, 2025/26

WSL TOP SCORERS, 2025/26 (ASSISTS IN BRACKETS)

PARK IN THE GOAL GROOVE

Jess Park’s latest goal for the Reds, at home to London City Lionesses on Sunday, moved our quick-footed midfielder on to eight for the season. It means Jess only needs one more goal to beat her career-high for a campaign, with her also netting eight (from 38 appearances) for Manchester City last season. Jess is also our leading WSL goalscorer this season, with six (from 16 appearances).

KNOCKOUT PHASE ’25/26 – THE ROAD TO OSLO

F IXTURES + RESULTS

ADDED-TIME QUIZ

GET YOURSELF A SWEET LATE WINNER BY GOING FOR 10/10?

1

In which year did midfielder Vilde Boe Risa leave United to join Atletico Madrid?

2 Former Red Ona Batlle plays for which of the remaining Champions League sides in this year’s competition?

3

What is the maximum number of competitive games the Reds could play this season: 43, 47 or 51?

4 The venue of the 2026 League Cup final, Ashton Gate, is the home of which former WSL club?

5 After this round, at which stage of this season’s competition could the Reds next face a side we’ve already met in the 2025/26 league phase?

6 Which former Red – capped 39 times by Scotland – faced Atletico Madrid in last season’s Champions League qualifying rounds with Rangers?

7 Three players have turned out for both of tonight’s teams: Vilde Boe Risa, Aissatou Tounkara, and which retired midfielder, who won 50 caps for England?

8 Who scored the only goal of the game in our final UWCL league-phase fixture, away to Juventus in December?

9

Who is currently United Women’s all-time leading scorer in European competition?

10

Which of the Reds’ 2025/26 UWCL opponents so far have lifted the trophy most recently?

UNITED

I

WANNA BE ADORED

MANCHESTER UNITED WOMEN

Kayla Rendell (GK)

Anna Sandberg

Gabby George

Maya Le Tissier

Hanna Lundkvist

Ella Toone

Jess Park

Melvine Malard

Elisabeth Terland

Leah Galton

Fridolina Rolfo

Simi Awujo

Jayde Riviere

Celin Bizet Donnum

Lisa Naalsund

Dominique Janssen

Julia Zigiotti

Ellen Wangerheim

Hinata Miyazawa

Millie Turner

Lea Schuller

Safia Middleton-Patel (GK)

Tamira Livingston

Jessica Anderson

Layla Drury

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (GK)

ATLETICO MADRID

Lola Gallardo (GK)

Andrea Medina

Lauren

Xenia Perez

Vilde Boe Risa

Synne Jensen

Sheila Guijarro

Carmen Menayo

Patricia Larque (GK)

Rosa Otermin

Silvia Lloris

Priscila Chinchilla

Julia Bartel

Gio Garbelini

Macarena Portales

Amaiur Sarriegi

Fiamma

Luany

Alexia Fernandez

Natalia Penalvo

Celia Gomez

Alba Bucero (GK)

Laura Tanarro

Cris

Raquel Gomez

Leyre Valdivia

Lydia Rodriguez

Daniela Minambres