“We are very, very good at defending.” That was Manchester United coach Marc Skinner’s satisfied verdict after defeating Atleti on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
It was United’s second straight 1-0 win in this league phase and a notably hard-earned clean sheet given Dominique Janssen’s early dismissal, which left Man United a player down from the 37th minute until the 74th, when Atleti's Alexia Fernández was shown a second yellow card.
As it happened: Atleti 0-1 Man Utd
What followed was “a lot of running, a lot of blocking” in the words of Player of the Match Julia Zigiotti Olme. In the following analysis, UEFA Technical Observer Joe Montemurro will shine a light on her impressive contribution as the “classic protective holding midfielder” as well as United’s overall defensive excellence.
Women's Champions League tactical analysis: Julia Zigiotti Olme fulfilling her defensive responsibilities
Both video clips show Zigiotti Olme fulfilling her defensive responsibilities centrally as well as in the wide areas. Montemurro hailed her clever positioning, both when defending and as a reference point in the build-up phase.
“The most important contribution was the balance she provided when the team were down to ten," he explained. "Atleti weren’t able to exploit the midfield overload because she understood when to apply pressure on the ball side and force Atleti into negative passes and when to lower her positioning to reduce central areas.
“She was important in defending the box, which is an important quality for a modern No6. With the ball she understood when to slow the tempo down and when the team needed to progress with speed.”
Manchester United's Julia Zigiotti Olme puts pressure on Atleti's Fiamma
Manchester United's Julia Zigiotti Olme puts pressure on Atleti's FiammaUEFA via Getty Images
“It’s important not to sit too deep as there still needs to be pressure on the ball”
Joe Montemurro, UEFA Technical Observer
As a broader point, in frustrating Atleti, Man United exhibited what is needed when defending with a player less.
Montemurro said: “It’s important not to sit too deep as there still needs to be pressure on the ball. As United showed, it’s about being disciplined to work as a unit and not to jump individually without the team. You need good distances between the players. You also need a clear understanding to direct the ball into areas where there’s a chance to recover it and open opportunities to attack on the regain.”
Coaching observation: Joe Montemurro on developing players for the No6 role
“The modern game demands moments of good defensive positioning and also being a reference to start and prepare play. When training this position, you need to simulate real-match scenarios, creating moments when the ball is lost but also asking what to do when the ball is regained. Spaces in the middle are minimal so speed of decision-making is vital. It’s a position that requires patience and the ability to read situations early.”
Joe Montemurro is coach of the Matildas, Australia’s women’s national team. He has extensive experience of the UEFA Women’s Champions League from spells coaching Arsenal, Juventus and OL Lyonnes.