- Man Utd face Brann for place in UWCL
- Red Devils already beat PSV & Hammarby
- Prize is qualification for league phase
團結的 overcame 埃因霍溫 (4-0)and Hammarby (1-0) in the mini-tournament that makes up the second round of qualifying. The Red Devils were unseeded in the League Path side of the third qualifying round draw but will feel their pairing could have been harder in the circumstances. Brann’s name was pulled out of the bowl, with Real Madrid, Roma, Paris FC and BK Hacken the arguably tougher options they avoided.
Brann are still no pushover, reaching the Champions League group for the first time last season – the final year of that format before a revamp into a league phase. Simply qualifying was a huge achievement, but they proceeded to follow continental heavyweights 里昂 out of the group, even taking a point against the French side, before quarter-final elimination at the hands of 巴塞隆納. The likes of Real Madrid, Roma and Paris FC, who stunned 兵工廠 in qualifying round one two seasons ago, are more experienced at this level and boast more in the way of international names.
Ex-United assistant manager Martin Ho was in charge when Brann qualified for the Champions League and reached the last eight, but has since returned to 英格蘭 to take over at Tottenham Hotspur. Other links exist between the clubs too. Elisabeth Terland, scorer of four out of five United goals in the second qualifying round, had two seasons with Brann before moving to the WSL in 2022. Midfielder Lisa Naalsund was signed direct from Brann in 2023, and was even among the fans cheering on her former teammates when they secured last season’s group stage qualification against Glasgow City.
曼聯 came unstuck in the third qualifying round in their only previous Champions League season two seasons ago, losing 4-2 on aggregate against 2015 and 2017 finalists Paris Saint-Germain. If they can overcome Brann over two legs on September 11 and 18, the prize is a place in the main Champions League tournament and its 18-team league phase – the top 12 in the standings will qualify for the knockout rounds. Before then, however, the new WSL season kicks off with the visit of Leicester City on September 7.
