Report: Tough defeat leaves Champions League hopes hanging in the balance | OneFootball

The Atlético de Madrid Women's team, after winning again in the Liga F several weeks later, returned to the UEFA Women’s Champions League against a consistently tough Manchester United. It was a first-leg match at the Alcalá Sports City, where achieving a good result was crucial.

José Herrera decided to line up with three central defenders and two long wing-backs, aware of the difficulty of the match. On a field not in the best condition due to the rain, Boe Risa attempted an erroneous change of direction. Manchester United recovered the ball in the final third, and in the second minute, Elisabeth Terland took advantage of the error and put the English team ahead. Mistakes are costly, especially in Europe's top competition.

Fifteen minutes in, Amaiur had one of the clearest chances to equalize. A defensive error left the forward alone against the visiting goalkeeper, but a Manchester defender appeared to deflect the ball to a corner. A missed opportunity that would worsen minutes later.

Just before halftime, another error in midfield led to a counterattack by Manchester United. Melvine Malard launched the counter and entered the area, where she encountered Silvia Lloris, who fell to the ground in a divided ball and subsequently left injured. With Lloris still on the ground, Malard shot from the left side of the area and beat Lola Gallardo. The Atlético Women's team went into halftime trailing Manchester United in a disastrous first half, compounded by the serious injury to Silvia Lloris.

No Reaction and a Final Blow

The ball rolled again in Alcalá, and an hour into the match, Vilde Boe Risa had the clearest chance. A direct free kick from the Norwegian hit the crossbar, another stroke of bad luck that prevented José Herrera's team from closing the gap. The visiting goalkeeper deflected it just enough for the woodwork to prevent a goal that could have changed the tie.

As the match progressed, Herrera introduced Kuhl and Rosa Otermín onto the field, seeking a reaction. Minutes later, Guijarro and Gio Garbelini, returning after her transindesmal fracture in the fibula last November, came on. These changes also failed to produce a goal, and before the end of the match, Zigiotti Olme received inside the area and beat Lola Gallardo after a great play by United.

A crushing defeat against Manchester United in the first leg of the play-off of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, leaving Atlético Women's team with one foot out of Europe's top competition. The return leg, to be played next Thursday, will require an epic comeback to continue talking about the team in Europe.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.