Boe Risa: United still feels like my team!

The pair will speak to reporters from around 19:00 BST, shortly after landing in Spain for Thursday’s matchday-two clash, and we will bring you the key news and views along with the full video.

We’ve already heard from the Atleti camp via former United midfielder Vilde Boe Risa, who met with the press on Tuesday and explained how it will feel to come up against her old club for the first time since departing in 2023.

“It’s a big game,” the Norway international, who spent two seasons as a Red, began.

“I feel like I know the girls and the club, in and out, and obviously I’m still watching them play and follow them very closely. I feel like it’s my team still, even though that is Atletico de Madrid for sure. I’m excited.

“I feel like I’m going to play against my friends and people that I miss so much playing with. It’s a special game for me and I was so happy to see that we were going to play against them in the Champions League.

“I want to go out and press them and be aggressive and show that we’re just not here to let you play,” our former no.8 added. “That’s the message we should send to the fans as well. I think they deserve to see more than what they saw on Sunday [in a 0-6 defeat to Spanish league rivals Barcelona]. We shouldn’t just let them play and give them everything.”

Boe Risa made 44 appearances and scored eight goals while spending the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons with us in Manchester and became a popular member of the squad, both internally with her team-mates and staff, and externally with the club’s supporters.

The midfielder helped United qualify for the Champions League for the first time in her final campaign as a Red – which included assisting Lucia Garcia’s European-clinching winner against Manchester City – and has since become a regular in the side of our next opponents.

Vilde was voted into Liga F's Team of the Year for 2024/25 and, while enjoying her time in Spain, looks back on her United days fondly as an important spell in her career.

“I think my time at United was like a really, really nice time in general,” she said in the press conference.

“Mostly because of the team we had and the girls within the team. It was just a really nice environment to be in. For me, it was a big step up in terms of professionalism. Just being a part of a club like Manchester United is obviously massive.

“I look back on it as a proud moment in my career and I learned so much being there. I had a great time and obviously miss it, but Spanish football is something that suits me well. I feel I can realise my potential here and I’ve had a great time here as well.”

Keep an eye on the United App and ManUtd.com on Wednesday evening for the United side of things before the clash with Atleti, from Marc Skinner and Julia Zigiotti Olme’s media briefing.