Manchester United took a big step towards the Champions League quarter-finals with a thumping 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their knockout play-off tie.

Goals from Elisabeth Terland, Melvine Malard and Julia Zigiotti Olme in the Spanish capital means the tie is firmly in their control, with German giants Bayern Munich awaiting the victors in the quarter-finals.

"Three fantastic goals and we controlled Atleti, who are a great team, really well," said boss Marc Skinner after the game.

"[It shows] huge growth from us. Managing moments, momentum, taking the goals when they come.

"We know how tough the return leg will be, but we are looking forward to it."

Terland got the away side off to the perfect start, collecting a wonderful through ball from Malard before jinking into the box and finding the top right corner inside three minutes.

Then five minutes later, Terland thought she had doubled her tally after producing a deft volley into the roof of the net from an Ellen Wangerheim knock-down. Yet the joy was short-lived as the offside flag and then a video assistant referee (VAR) check ruled it out.

As Atletico pushed to find an equaliser before the interval, Malard struck to make it 2-0. The French international ran onto an incisive Hinata Miyazawa through ball before curling a superb effort across Lola Gallardo into the far bottom corner.

The hosts had rallied in the intervening period, with 21-year-old Fiamma Benitez's shot from range blocked over the crossbar after a neat one-two with Synne Jensen.

The visitors began the second half just as fast as the first, with an excellent point-blank Gallardo save preventing Jayde Riviere from adding a third goal 90 seconds after the restart.

Again, after that scare, Atletico appeared reinvigorated, launching wave after wave of attacks in pursuit of a way back into the game.

Midfielder Vilde Boe Risa cracked a free-kick off the crossbar from 25 yards, unable to land the telling blow against her former club, before Benitez was denied from close range by a crowd of Manchester United defenders.

As the clock passed the 80th minute, Malard turned provider again, this time laying off for Julia Zigiotti Olme to drill inside the front post to ensure the side take a commanding 3-0 lead into next week's return leg at Old Trafford [19 February, 20:00 GMT].

In Thursday's earlier play-off round tie, Wolfsburg scored twice in the closing stages to claim a 2-2 draw against Juventus. Sarai Linder's 95th minute goal ensured that the German club remain level in the tie ahead of the return leg in Turin next week.

The winners of that tie will face record eight-time winners Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Manchester United's victory in Madrid took their unbeaten streak to 10 games across all competitions as they continue to build momentum towards the business end of the campaign.

At times it was hard work, with Atletico Madrid out-shooting them (12 to nine), out-performing them on xG (0.81 to 0.5) and shading possession (52.8%), yet those statistics were made redundant in the end as the Women's Super League's second-highest scorers flexed their muscles in front of goal.

Four shots on target, three scored. Sometimes it is as simple as that.

At the other end of the pitch, the defence did their bit too. They made 31 clearances in total, alongside four saves from Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Even when they were beaten, the crossbar came to the rescue.

Overall, it was the textbook definition of a perfect away performance in Europe.

Boss Skinner's post-match thoughts summarised the night perfectly: "Concentration, focus and ruthlessness in front of goal. That was the key tonight. The team is on a great run."

Looking more broadly, this is another huge result in a season that is shaping up to be promising for the Red Devils.

They last tasted defeat in December, a 3-0 humbling at the hands of eight-time champions of Europe Lyon, but since then they have risen to second in the Women's Super League table, secured a maiden League Cup final appearance, and advanced into the fifth round of the FA Cup.

They have also shrewdly added more top-tier experience in the January window with the likes of striker Lea Schuller and full-back Hanna Lundkvist, plus more energy in the shape of 21-year-old forward Wangerheim.

All told, they have quietly developed into an outfit with the depth of numbers and quality capable to properly compete across all fronts.

A stat to evidence this is the sheer amount of players weighing in with goals - the 19 goals scored across their 10-game unbeaten run were shared out among 12 different players.

Marc Skinner can trust that those players he rotates into his starting XI or those he brings off the bench when he needs to change a game will deliver, because they have been for some time now.

With momentum and belief at an all-time high, it makes you wonder just how far Manchester United can strive for the remainder of 2025-26.

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