Man Utd refuse to give up Champions League dream

Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner insists his side will travel to Germany believing they can overturn a 3-2 first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich and keep their Women’s Champions League dream alive, despite acknowledging that the challenge will test his squad “like never before.”

United were stung by an early Pernille Harder strike after only two minutes at Leigh Sports Village, the former Chelsea attacker latching onto Arianna Caruso’s measured pass before out-pacing captain Maya Le Tissier. Although United twice battled back to level, Momoko Tanikawa’s 81st-minute winner leaves the Reds with work to do in next Wednesday’s decisive quarter-final second leg (17:45 BST).

Skinner rejected suggestions his players had been naive in their approach, arguing that lapses in defensive pressure rather than tactical naivety allowed Bayern to punish United on the break. “I wouldn’t call it a naivety,” he said. “There’s going to be a little bit of learning in any game, especially when you’re playing a quarter-final of the Champions League. If you get pressure on the ball, you can’t play the long ball. They tried it a few times and played the ball out of play. It worked for them tonight but if I stop those two chances, they don’t score.”

The United boss was equally quick to dismiss opposite number Jose Barcala’s assertion that Bayern felt comfortable for long spells. “He has just won the game 3-2, he is going to say that,” Skinner countered. “Our challenge is to make them feel way more uncomfortable.”

Fine margins have defined the tie so far. Bayern’s ability to rotate Tanikawa—kept on the bench after international duty—proved pivotal when the Japanese midfielder created Harder’s second and slammed home the winner. United, by contrast, fielded Asian Cup finalist Hinata Miyazawa just days after she featured in the continental final in Sydney, highlighting the squad-depth issues that have accompanied the most congested European schedule of any women’s side this season.

Skinner, however, sees no merit in surrendering belief. “We have belief. Of course we do. There is no point going to Germany if we don’t.”

The immediate schedule offers little respite: a derby against Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday precedes the mid-continental trip. “We’ve played the most football in Europe this year, and we’ve got a really small squad right now, so it will challenge us,” Skinner admitted. “It will take us to the depths. But the carrot is there for us. That’s why my players are at Manchester United. If they didn’t want to do it, they wouldn’t be at this club. They’re going to give it absolutely everything.”

United must now summon one more monumental effort to extend their European run, while Bayern prepare to protect a slender advantage on home soil. The tie is poised, the stakes are clear, and Skinner’s side maintain they are not ready to wave goodbye to the Champions League just yet.