By Catherine MacKenzie (10/09/2025)
Above: Manchester United huddle after their last game. Photo: Manchester United Women.
All that stands between Manchester United and a spot in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) is a two-legged tie against Norwegian side SK Brann Kvinner.
Context
Both teams will play European football this season; the dual-legged tie decides which competition they play in. The winner will compete in the UWCL, with the losing team taking part in the inaugural Europa Cup. This is the final qualifying round before the UWCL proper, and the last chance for teams to claim a spot in the competition.
It is also a return to Norway and Brann for United’s Elisabeth Terland and Lisa Naalsund, which United head coach Marc Skinner noted in his pre-match press conference:
“With how hard she [Terland] works for our team, I think she would be a threat to anyone. Regardless, it’s a nice story she’s going back, and of course Lisa is as well,” Skinner continued: “She will have all those feelings but she’ll subdue them to make sure that we try and win the game. So I am sure she looks forward to trying to score over there and pay respect obviously to the club where she started.”
Team news
United fans will have to wait to see new signing Fridolina Rolfö in action for the reds – she is still regaining match fitness after picking up an injury during the summer’s European Championship. Left-back Gabby George is similarly returning to fitness; Skinner has suggested that both may be available to face London City Lionesses this weekend.
With returns for Simi Awujo and Leah Galton still weeks away, the squad traveling to Norway is looks light. In United’s last outing (against Leicester), they only named five players on the bench – expect the same in Norway. Skinner has alluded to the need to protect his team, given the length of the season and potential runs in four competitions: “We have to be careful with these games coming thick and fast. So both should be available for the weekend.”
Form
United enter the tie off the back of three competitive wins since the summer break: they dismantled PSV 4-0 in the last round of qualifiers, followed by a frought 1-0 win over Hammarby in Sweden. Their first league game of the season was a 4-0 drubbing of Leicester City, with Toone, Terland, and Malard all on the scoresheet.
Brann have not dropped a point in their last 10 games, scoring 27 and conceding only two. With Norway operating a summer league, they are currently nearing the end of their season in first place: four points and eight goals ahead of runners-up Vålerenga.
Difference makers
Speaking ahead of the match, Skinner highlighted Brann midfielder Signe Gaupset as one to watch. The 20-year-old starred for Norway at the Euros, assisting twice as well as scoring a brace – all in one match (against Iceland).
In her last seven games, she has two goals and three assists, highlighting her attacking threat. About Gaupset and Brann’s front line, Skinner said:
“We obviously know about Signe Gaupset in midfield but also their front line can be really really aggressive. They play a good style of football.”
Skinner also alluded to a possible 12th woman for Brann – the voracity of the 14,000-strong crowd expected at the stadium. The club have the highest average attendance for women’s games in the country, averaging over 2,000 per game compared to around 600-700 for their title rivals. United have experienced this kind of hostile atmosphere already in recent weeks, during their 1-0 win away at Hammarby (Swedish football is known for its ‘soft hooligans’). Skinner highlighted this:
“I think something like 14,000 tickets were sold, so it’s going to be a raucous atmosphere, but I think the Hammarby game probably prepared us as well for that which was probably a good test. So I think I expect a similar kind of quality.”
United’s attacking threats are various. In the three competitive games following the summer break, Toone, Malard and Terland have all been in good goal-scoring form.
It is clear that relationships are forming and players are growing more aware of their team-mates’ strengths. Alluding to this, Skinner spoke about the United’s attacking threat and how he sees his team’s build-up play:
“There’s no one better than Ella to find those spaces when she’s in there. So Teri’s little runs – Tooney sees it before the forward sees it – so having support around you in those areas is vital.”
“So to talk about Elisabeth and Tooney, but even Mal and Tooney, a couple of Tooney’s chances were created from give-and-goes with both players. So I think if we can create that kind of fluidity and just that kind of keeping the opponent guessing, then I think you’re going to create a lot of chances.”
Previous UWCL experience
Brann have the benefit of more UWCL experience than United, taking part in the last two iterations of the competition. They reached the quarter-finals in 2023-24 before losing 5-2 on aggregate to FC Barcelona; the home leg was a narrow 1-2 loss. That same year, Brann drew 2-2 against European giants Lyon, showcasing their strength at home.
The Red Devils have a shorter history in the competition: their first chance came in 2022/23, where they fell short of qualifying for the competition proper by losing 4-2 on aggregate to PSG during the second qualifying round. United’s recruitment has also tended to focus on youth and potential rather than ‘ready to go’ experience.
However, over the last two summers, this has changed as more European experience has been added to the teamsheet. Dutch defender Dominique Janssen has reached two finals with previous club VfL Wolfsburg, and Malard won four UWCL titles with Lyon.
The club’s newest additions provide even more experience: Julia Zigiotti Olme from Bayern Munich, and Rolfö has lifted the trophy twice with FC Barcelona. Asked about the importance of signing players with UWCL experience – particularly facing teams with more of a history in the competition – Skinner said:
“I think it’s something we’ve needed, really. We have a great energetic, young, growing group, and I think we needed to in this window add in that experience. Adding in Frido as well gives us the opportunity to – I think this is the best way of putting it – make better decisions in intense moments.”
The United head coach went on to clarify the qualities he has identified in these experienced players that will be beneficial for his team:
“It’s knowing that actually you trust yourself when the nerves kick in because the nerves come regardless, but you get less and less of them the older you get. So for us, I think it’s vital if we’re going to go into these two games and then qualify for the Champions League proper and then if we do that, we are going to need all of that vital experience.”
SK Brann Kvinner v Manchester United kicks off at 18:00 BST and will be broadcast on MUTV.
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