The Old Firm is set to shine bright as both Celtic and Rangers prepare for the Champions League, the only difference being the women’s teams are poised to represent Scotland in the Women’s Champions League. The historic rivalry between these two Glasgow-based clubs is legendary, and their women’s teams are set to make waves in the international football scene. Celtic and Rangers are gearing up to face their respective opponents in the Champions League qualification stage, knowing that a win will take them a step closer to the prestigious group stage.
Celtic, the reigning champions of the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL), are scheduled to face KuPS of Finland in their first Champions League match. While Rangers, on the other hand, will be challenging Arsenal, who finished third in the Women’s Super League last season.
Preparing for the Challenges of the Champions League
For both teams, the journey to the Champions League is a significant milestone, showcasing their dedication to the sport. Celtic’s manager, Elena Sadiku, has been preparing her team for the rigors of Champions League football. In their pre-season preparation, they traveled to Sweden, where they secured a 2-1 win against Djurgarden but suffered a 3-0 defeat to Swedish champions Hammarby.
Talking about their preparations, Sadiku said, “We were in Sweden to get prepared as best as possible because it’s a different type of football, it’s a different type of opponent.” She further emphasized that the biggest factor for her team is believing in themselves. “I feel like there’s so much potential, there’s so much talent [in the Celtic squad],” she added.
Challenges Ahead for Celtic and Rangers
For Celtic, the move from Scottish domestic football to the Champions League is a quantum leap. They’ll face teams that are stronger and more experienced than what they’re used to. However, with the previous season’s success in the SWPL, they would be looking to build on that momentum.
Rangers, on the other hand, have had an incredible start to the season, with 43 goals scored without conceding a single one in their five games in the SWPL. Manager Jo Potter is aware that this will be their most challenging test yet. In an interview with the BBC Scotland’s Behind the Goals podcast, she said, “I don’t think we’re going to face a tougher test. You’ve got to thrive under it, this is the biggest test we can have, we’ve had a really good year, let’s go and test ourselves and see where we’re at.”
Posing a Threat to the Stature of the Game
Not only are these two Scottish teams aiming to win their respective Champions League matches, but they’re also fighting for the women’s football space in Scotland. With the national team undergoing various challenges in recent times, Female football has not been the greatest concern of many Scottish football fans.
Talking to the BBC Scotland, Leanne Crichton, the former Scotland International, emphasized the challenges faced by the female football players. “Unless you’re a top side, it’s never going to be straightforward,” she said.
With both teams entering the fray in the Champions League with a shared dream of causing an upset and upping their Championship Standards, it will be refreshing to see their brand of women’s football on a grand stage.
The Old Firm to Dazzle the Audienses
The stage is set for an enthralling spectacle. The Old Firm rivalry is about to get a refreshing flavor with the onset of these matches that would undoubtedly be gracing the grand platform that the Champions League stands for.
Rangers are set to clash with the powerhouses of the women’s football world, and that’s what would count as a defining moment in Scottish Football’s History in the Making.
For many years, Celtic and Rangers have struggled to hold their ground against teams from more robust leagues, however, there seems to be a rise in Women’s football with clubs eager to develop and nurture their female lineups.
Jo Potter’s Take on the Arsenal Challenge
For Rangers, their match against Arsenal is more challenging due to the English side’s strong performance in the Women’s Super League last season. In preparing for this tie, Jo Potter pointed out in an interview that Playing Levante in pre-season has been a good learning experience for the team. “We’ve tried to replicate the moments of that test. You’ve got to try and do as much as you can with what you’ve got and that’s what we’ve tried to do,” said the Rangers manager.
To be brutally honest, Rangers do have a lot on their platter going ahead in the Champions League qualifiers. Their next match against Arsenal is on 19:45 BST, held in London, against none other than the eventual winners of the Women’s Super League in the past.
This challenge is probably going to be just as tough for the Rangers Manager as the third spot position the Arsenal Women’s team occupied in the Women’s Super League in the past when the London City girl friends were a point behind the league champions who were 5 points ahead of team third-place Arsenal, who is leading the table at this point with no opposition.
Just remember that the US and the UK are an ocean apart as they try to outplay each other in an exciting tie.
Bracing for the Battle in a foreign land
Celtic would be up against the fifth-place finisher Finnish Women league, which has been conquered by Real City. However, to provide the locals and the international fans with one of the biggest football challenges of the Women’s French league cup challengers, the Catalonia Women teams in an earlier competition, DJurgarden of Sweden proved it is not a cake walk for them having shown their World-class skills against Hamar.
While it would be a tough day ahead in their upcoming Women’s Championship league for the Swedes, one keeps the thought that the Women’s Championship league Gintra would possibly be unable to cope for such an uninitiated foray.
With all that might have held against the host city of Scotland- the football world recognizes Scotland – with an Olympic national touch and has a female international group to which she is proud to perform for as Female Sports Athletes.
Being great, it doesn’t have to stop. Kalypniel already conquered Oulu & Herfol & Herfol with their winning of Finnish League Cup.
“Having that confidence is how players get better and better. And that’s what I want to see from my players, confidence, and togetherness because that will make us better.” said the Celtic manager.
The grand Women’sChampions League Stage is something reminiscent of an equivalent place from which Celts can give that of which and other Women league teams from outside of Switzerland would need give those sort of Brazil and Portugal of South America in 5-ofChampions that said of which in those countries that part of a similar league of Nations that it in case other champions that part of 12 countries European countries a league.
Given it has now been six seasons since a Scottish league team has been spotted in the Champions League.
An exciting opportunity awaits the female Scottish footballers, a chance to seize the platform that Women’s football provides. Whether Celtic and Rangers can successfully navigate the qualifying stages and compete among Europe’s best is a story to be told soon. One can only anticipate that these passionate females ladies team would stand firm & proud and make it an honor in every platform in all over the World as a whole.