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Skinner's message to the United squad
Marc Skinner has set his players the challenge of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League again, following our quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich.
The Reds were tantalisingly close to forcing extra-time in Bavaria, after Melvine Malard’s 11th-minute strike levelled the tie at 3-3.
But goals in the final stages from Glodis Viggosdottir and Linda Dallmann ultimately ended our European adventure for 2025/26.
United are still hoping to qualify again next term, and would need a top-three finish in the Barclays WSL to achieve that, overtaking Arsenal or Chelsea in the process, with the Blues hosting us on the final day.
Skinner said that, following the game, he’d reiterated the fact that three wins in the league would guarantee a return to the competition - and potentially put us in the position to go further next time.
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“It’s been an incredible experience, it really has,” he said, when reflecting on our European adventure.
“It’s something I said to the players at the end, passionately: that if you want to experience this again, we’ll have more experience next time, then we must win these next three games.
“That is the hunger we want to see in the team. The first half was incredible from the team and I’m so proud of them. They’ve rolled off the pitch tonight, they’ve given absolutely everything.”
The boss felt the Reds were hampered by injuries in Munich, and had a genuine chance to qualify had the likes of Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen and Ella Toone been fit to feature.
With a significant break until our next fixture, at Tottenham Hotspur on 25 April, Skinner hopes to have a boosted squad for the season’s final push.
Report: Bayern 2 United Women 1 (5-3 agg)
ArticleThe Reds' European run comes to an end, despite a spirited performance in Bavaria against the German champions.
“We know that if we win the last three games, then we’re in the third space at least. We have three games that we must win and I’m told by the medical team I’ll have at least three for the Tottenham game when we get back, three returning players.
“That again is going to be key to us being able to compete. Hopefully you saw the first half we dominated Bayern in many large areas. We had to defend a little bit of course but we dominated and then second half they stepped up and stepped on, really aggressive.
“We just couldn’t run them the other way enough and they got territory. We know, I’ve said to them as a team, as much as you’re hurting our aim is to win the next three games and put it in our hands.”