Celtic Coach Sadiku Addresses FIFA Nomination, Real Madrid Match, and Club Ambitions

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku addressed reporters ahead of her team’s Champions League match against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Regarding her nomination for coach of the year at the 2024 Fifa Best Awards, the 31-year-old stated: “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something because you’re young and female.” Sadiku indicated that Champions League opponents Real Madrid would be greeted in Scotland with “a big, cold hug,” alluding to the anticipated freezing weather conditions for the match in Hamilton and Celtic’s need to leverage every possible advantage. She expressed a desire “more than anything else” for her team, which has already been eliminated, to earn their inaugural Champions League point either on Wednesday or in their concluding group stage fixture against FC Twente, stating they “deserve it.” The Swedish coach emphasized her wish for her players to acknowledge that “what we have achieved is something special” by becoming the first Celtic women’s team to participate in the group stage. Sadiku articulated her ambition to “create something unique with Celtic that hasn’t been part of their history before” by establishing the club as a competitor at the Champions League level in addition to achieving victories in Scotland. She further commented: “You can’t go from zero to 100. These things take time.” Midfielder Natalie Ross is set to rejoin the Celtic squad and will be eligible for selection against Real Madrid, having recovered from the injury sustained during the defeat to Rangers.