Hayley Ladd hopes Wales double-header can ease her Man Utd Champions League pain

Hayley Ladd hopes Wales’ Nations League double-header can ease the pain of Manchester United’s Champions League elimination.

Ladd was part of the United squad beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Paris St Germain as the Red Devils failed to reach the Champions League group stage.

“The result on Wednesday was tough, it was hard to take because everyone left everything on the pitch,” Ladd said of a 3-1 second-leg defeat in Paris that sealed United’s European fate.

“At United we’re probably quite early on in our journey. To qualify for the first time through the qualifying stages and beat PSG would have been a huge leap realistically.

“With Wales it seems a longer journey in terms of a time frame, but it is similar in overcoming a big hurdle and a big ambition (qualifying for a major tournament).

“When you have those setbacks it builds your resilience as a squad, and you’ve always got goals in mind. But I know I’m in two good environments to get better.”

Ladd missed United’s 5-0 win at Everton on Sunday as Marc Skinner’s side bounced back from their Paris disappointment in the Women’s Super League.

The 30-year-old was among those suffering from a sickness bug that swept through the United camp.

But Ladd has recovered in time to take her usual place in the Wales defence this week, against Germany in Sinsheim on Friday and the return game against Denmark in Viborg four days later.

Wales lost the opening two games of their Nations League A campaign last month, 1-0 away to Iceland before being soundly beaten 5-1 by Denmark in Cardiff.

Identity

Ladd said: “Those losses have stripped everything back, we need to get that identity back where we’ve been so strong in terms of our defensive foundation.

“The top teams are going to punish you if things are not quite right and, from a defensive side, we have to switch back on.

“We were not expecting the game that we had against Iceland.

“We enjoyed more territory and possession than we expected and that comes with the development as a team. How to punish teams if they are going to sit off you.

“This is maybe a bit of redemption, especially the Denmark game, to play with as much energy and passion as possible.

“I believe we can hurt teams, especially on the break, and show them what we’re capable of doing.”