Celin: I'm very lucky to be a Red

The Norwegian side provide the opposition at the Progress With Unity Stadium (20:00 BST kick-off), with excitement building ahead of the historic fixture.

Bizet Donnum joined Valerenga in 2017, and completed a domestic Double with them three years later, before spells with Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur, in advance of her switch to United in 2024.

Unfortunately, she has been ruled out of the tie due to an injury niggle.

In a wide-ranging interview with the matchday programme for the game, Celin said of her former side: "It’s a city club – loud fans, a lot of duels, a lot of power! Their style, when I was there, was good on the ball, technical players, creating things, and being proactive towards the goal."

When growing up in Scandinavia, our nimble forward was often pictured wearing a United shirt and admits she is loving the fact that she now represents Marc Skinner's side, and has the chance to do so on the continental stage.

"Well, at that point I didn’t know there was a women’s team," she said of the pic. "So I wanted to play on the men’s team [laughs] – that didn’t happen, obviously!

"But I think sometimes you take for granted where you are and, at that point, I never thought I was going to go abroad and play football at Manchester United.

"You buy that shirt as a kid and just think it’s a shirt you have in your drawer, but now it’s massive [to play here]. I was eight at that point or something, and now I’m here now, it’s the biggest thing. So many girls back in Norway want to play at this club and I’m here. I’m very lucky."

Since getting married to fellow footballer, and now husband, Aron Donnum, earlier this year, the 23-year-old has used the name 'Bizet Donnum' on the back of her jersey.

The Norway men's international is currently with Toulouse in France but emerged on the scene with Valerenga, at the same time his wife was with the club.

"I’m carrying that name with pride," she explained to us. "It’s a big name in Norway, so carrying that name on the shirt, Donnum, is a big thing from a Valerenga
perspective and in Norway.

"I think more people know that name than my [other] name!"

Want to read the full interview? Celin's chat with Mikey Partington will be available in the official programme on Wednesday night and is priced at just £3.