Manchester, England – Na dis Wednesday wey dem go see Manchester United women face off against Paris St-Germain for Champions League match wey go happen for Old Trafford. E go be big history because na di first time di women team go play European game for dat iconic ground.
Dem don dey build this club on the back of legendary stories from di past, like di Busby Babes and di success wey Sir Alex Ferguson bring come. So, dis match dey represent another step for Marc Skinner’s team, especially after wetin happen for their Women’s Super League match last Saturday. We no go talk say dem win, but it no go sweet if dem lose the big one next.
Matt Johnson, wey na di head of women’s football for di club, don talk say, “Manchester United get babaring history for European competition. For us, na about di future. We wan drop new lens for how we dey view this matter.” Dem dey try build vision wey go make future generations go dey yarn how dem break barriers just like Sir Matt and Sir Alex do before.
So far, di women team don start their Champions League journey as dem dey win their first two games. If dem fit beat PSG wey don lose both their matches, dem go dey well on their way to secure their spot for next year’s play-off round. Na wetin e mean wey di team dey try push for grow di women’s game, despite di wahala wey dem don face as di last Premier League club wey start Women’s Super League team back in 2018. No be small thing o!
People dey gree say United dey rush small because dem try put proper structure for dis women’s side. Di absent of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe from di cup finals don raise many eyebrows, especially for di 2024 finals when he choose to watch di men’s side lose instead of supporting di women. E get as e be!
Still, Johnson dey talk things wey no sweet for mouth, as he emphasize say Manchester United dey fully committed to di women’s team. “Dis na one club, and we dey enjoy all di same resources.” E dey sound like dem dey form family vibes, but make we dey shine eye, e fit just be plenty talk.
Di story of returning back to Manchester after beating Hammerby for Stockholm show di challenges dem dey face. Players find demself dey make their own way back because di club no arrange direct return. Den again, di boots wahala for di first leg against Norway’s Brann make plenty headlines. Di airport staff carry di wrong luggage, and Johnson talk say dem just manage arrange new boots for dia match.
Mary Earps, wey don move to PSG, don make some exclamations wey dey suggest di transition no dey align with her plans. But di club don show their planning na serious matter, as di new goalkeeper, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, don enter nominations for FIFA ‘Best of’ award.
Di decision to shift di PSG match to Old Trafford na big symbolic move, but attendance fit no reach 12,000 wey dem dey usually pull for Leigh Sports Village, dem regular ground. Johnson dey yarn say di women’s team like Leigh since e still dey good for dem football.
E add say, “We dey look for how to grow di fanbase, because once we dey pack di stadium, e go make sense to dey play for Old Trafford.” Some people dey talk sey dis might take time, but dem dey hope some years later we go dey look at 100,000-seater stadium filled with women fans. Na dream we go dey aim for.”
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