Special time for Le Tissier as dream is fulfilled

The 20:00 BST kick-off at the Progress With Unity Stadium presents another massive step forward for Marc Skinner's team, after a really positive start to 2025/26.

Le Tissier grew up watching United's men sides of yesteryear in Europe's top competition and realises the magnitude of the occasion, as the Norwegian outfit head to Leigh for our first of six games in this phase.

"I think, ever since I was little, I feel like when I was young, I was just playing footy and having a good time back home, playing with the lads," the Reds captain said.

"Having a kickaround and then having a late night before school, watching the Champo and thinking how amazing it would be to play in the Champions League.

"It's a special moment for all of us. We've not played in the proper Champions League before. Of course, we played PSG a couple of years back [in the qualifiers] but this is different - the big thing with the big dogs.

"It's the dream of every single player," she added. "Nobody plays football just to play in the league. It's amazing and I'm really looking forward to it.

"It's the biggest thing you can play in, in club football, and, growing up, you watch all these games, men's games for me, when you're little, and see the big games going on and imagine you can walk out to that music, the theme tune they put on beforehand. It gives you goosebumps. These are the little things you can't take for granted.

"I'm in my fourth season now at United and, every single season, we've tried to fight to get to the Champions League and win leagues and stuff. Now it's happened and we can't just think we're in the Champions League, we're going to grab it with both hands and do as well as we can.

"We know Valerenga are a very good team as well. We've got to be performing even better than we did on Friday [when drawing 1-1 with Chelsea] to get the points and win the game."