MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United manager Marc Skinner says his team must make Bayern Munich feel “more uncomfortable” next week in the return leg and use the frustration of their 3-2 defeat if they are to progress through to the semifinals of the Women’s Champions League.
United fell to the German champions at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, with a brace from Pernille Harder and another from Momoko Tanikawa seeing Bayern take a narrow lead back to Munich next week.
United’s goals came from a penalty from Maya Le Tissier and a header from Hanna Lundkvist, but United are now outsiders to make the semifinals of the competition having lost their home leg.
Given this is United’s first ever Champions League campaign, the club and players are in unchartered territory, and Skinner was incredibly proud overall of how his team fared against Bayern. He said all three goals they conceded were preventable but dismissed the notion they were naïve in how they defended. Instead, Skinner says his team are prepared to throw everything at Bayern next week.
“We are still in the tie and I think it’s given us a taste of what we must do in the second leg and try and attack the game,” Skinner said. “We know they’re a fantastic team, but there’s frustration with the players now, so I need to see that in the performance next week.”
He added: “When we go into that game, let’s see if we can make them even more uncomfortable. That’s our challenge, we know what we’ve got to do. For sure, we have to make them feel way more uncomfortable if, if we’re going to win the game, so it’s something I know my players have been focused on.”
It’s a relentless schedule for United, given they have WSL leaders Manchester City back at Old Trafford on Saturday. But Skinner is not looking for excuses.
“You know, we’ve played the most football in Europe this year, right? And we’ve got a really small squad, so it will challenge us,” he said.
“It will take us to the depths, but if there’s anything I know about this team, the carrot is there for us on both games. We expect it to be difficult. You can kind of trench your mind into what you must do. And so from our perspective, as much as we have these two challenging, difficult games, that’s why my players are at Manchester United and if they don’t want to do it, then, you know, they wouldn’t be at this club. They’re absolutely ready to give everything again.”
1:37
Le Tissier takes the blame for Bayern’s opener in Man United defeat
Maya Le Tissier reflects on Manchester United’s defeat to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal clash.
And he says despite his team heading to Munich as underdogs, he believes this group of players and the club hope to emulate the men’s team in securing Europe’s biggest honour.
“There’s no point going to Germany if we don’t think we can [overturn the tie],” he said. “Look, we want to create the history the men’s team have in the European competitions, and I thoroughly believe that we can do that.
“I have huge respect for Bayern, it’s a brilliant club. But I have this belief about this team and what I can promise everybody is that we give absolutely everything in order to try and get that victory out there.”
