Elena Sadiku: We are going to do everything we can to try book our place in the final
Exactly one year ago this Sunday, Elena Sadiku took command of her first game in the dugout for Celtic.
Although it didn’t finish the way the Hoops Head Coach would have liked, suffering late loss against Rangers, it would be fair to say the Swede has come a long way with her Celtic players since then.
Fast forward twelve months, and the Celts play Rangers at the same level of the campaign, hoping to reach the Sky Sports Cup final.
With a massive Glasgow derby on the horizon, the atmosphere is good throughout the camp as the Ghirls prepare up for Sunday’s meeting at New Douglas Park.
Speaking to the media ahead of their third derby appearance against the Ibrox side of the season, Sadiku delivered some positive news on the injury front with two faces possibly poised for a return to action this weekend.
The 31-year-old also commended her side for their recent efforts as they brace up for their third excursion since returning from the winter break.
She said: “Hopefully, we have two more players available for the squad on Sunday, which will be Kit (Loferski) and Murphy (Agnew).
‘So it is a very wonderful news that we can welcome them back into the fold.’
“As the Head Coach and also a part of the group, I’ve said it before we’ve maybe been a bit inconsistent at points this season with our performances,” Sadiku said.
“But I do believe that what we are doing right now is something that is working really well. We are generating opportunities and scoring goals.
“I think many players are playing good football. I recall my first game against Rangers, it was at this period last year in the same level of the tournament.
“We know that if we win on Sunday, then we will be playing in a final in March. So, it would simply move us one step closer to what we aim to do every season, which is winning trophies.
“We know that it is a massive game for us, and we are going to do everything we can to make sure we win on Sunday.”
Of course, with Sunday’s semi-final also bringing up another Glasgow derby, there will be plenty of debate about both side’s coming into the game.
Heading into the match, Sadiku stated that her side would just be focused on what they can do to fulfill the objective at hand, with a victory firmly in the manager’s sights.
She said: “We just need to keep building on what we have been doing because I think we have been playing really good football.
“If we can create many chances and score goals, then we know that we are a good defending team.
“We also know that Rangers are a good team as well. So, it’s going to be a wonderful game for everyone to watch because it’s a Glasgow derby. We all know what it entails for both the teams.
‘Our emphasis is on what we can accomplish and how to get the greatest performance out of ourselves.’
“That is the only focus we have. We want to win, and it’s as simple as that.”
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