Celtic boss proud & excited for future despite exit

Manager Elena Sadiku is “excited for what we have in front of us” despite Celtic exiting the Champions League after just four games and without earning a point.

The Scottish club still have two games in Group B to play but now cannot progress after losing 3-0 at Chelsea.

The in-form Women’s Super League (WSL) side are through to the quarter-finals with a couple of games to spare in a lop-sided pool in which Real Madrid need just a point to join them in the last eight.

Celtic will hope to claim a first point of their campaign when they travel to Twente on 17 December – but Sadiku has been encouraged by her players dealing with Chelsea’s star-studded line-up better than WSL sides have this season.

“It says a lot about the team I have. We have quality players and the players are learning that as a team we can compete with Chelsea and Real Madrid,” she said.

“I have seen them hurt other teams more than they have hurt us.

“You can see how good they have been against top players. There are star players in every position for them.”

Celtic beat Vorskla 3-0 on aggregate to become the first Scottish side to qualify for the Women’s Champions League group stage since it was introduced in 2020-21.

But they lost 2-0 to Twente in their Group B opener then were thrashed 4-0 by Real Madrid before Sonia Bompastor’s side won 2-1 at Celtic Park last week.