From 'living hell' to 'living the dream' - Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku

Elena Sadiku has seldom chosen the path of least resistance. In truth, she has faced incredible challenges to reach this point.

This marks a significant moment, as it brings the chance to be the first Scottish team to participate in the group stage of the Women's Champions League since the competition was revamped for the 2021-22 season.

It's a moment that the ex-midfielder would have aspired to as a player, but her hopes of a future orchestrating plays in the center of the field were shattered at just 23 years old after undergoing 13 knee surgeries.

Instead, she'll have to content herself with calling out instructions from the sidelines as one of the youngest coaches in charge of a team in Europe's top tournament when Celtic faces Twente on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old doesn’t view it as settling for less. Instead, she feels like she is “living her dream” as a trailblazing head coach, guiding her team, who secured their first SWPL title last season, through this exciting new phase.

When Celtic secured their first league title in May with a thrilling last-minute goal, Sadiku mentioned that she had shifted the team's mentality from being the underdogs to taking control of the game since joining the club.

It's easy to overlook that the former Everton under-21 manager only started his role in Glasgow in January of this year. Since then, he's faced an unending series of challenges.

In the league, she has experienced just one loss, which happened in her opening match against Glasgow City, the team that had previously been the unstoppable title holder.

Since that time, there have been thrilling last-minute goals and brave recoveries, including one just last Thursday against their biggest rivals, Rangers. These moments highlight the change in mindset that Sadiku has been working to instill.

During this competition, in the semi-finals of the initial qualifying round, Celtic found themselves on the brink of elimination. They struggled to overcome KuPS until Saoirse Noonan stepped up, scoring an equalizer that pushed the match into extra time. Noonan then sealed the deal by completing her hat-trick.

Sadiku has cultivated a relentless determination, born from the struggles he has openly faced.

At the age of 19, she experienced her first ACL injury. After taking some time off to heal, she came back, only to reinjure the same knee just three months later. This cycle of injury and recovery continued.

After her third injury, it was clear that she could no longer compete. However, she didn’t give up; instead, she shifted her focus and quickly started coaching. She jumped back into the hard work right away.

"I’ve faced tough times and experienced hardships, but I’ve always been dedicated and hardworking, not just in football," she shared after qualifying for the group stages.

I recall my first visit here; the atmosphere among the group was quite tense. However, I arrived with enthusiasm and confidence, believing that unity is key to achieving success.

"Those are my principles; I truly believe in my players. They have made significant progress since I took on this role."

Celtic has found success in Scotland, and now the focus shifts to how they can perform in Europe.

At first glance, it seems like a difficult challenge with Twente, Real Madrid, and Chelsea all in Group B. However, Sadiku remains optimistic about the possibility of "catching a few teams off guard."

She definitely isn't interested in her team merely participating. Keep in mind, she is not willing to accept anything less than the best.

Following the victory over Vorskla Poltava, which secured their position in the top 16 teams of the tournament, Sadiku mentioned that she wouldn't allow herself to relax. Instead, she was already focusing on their upcoming match.

"This is where it all begins, and it's an amazing addition to my resume, if I can put it that way," she said.

"I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I'm really thrilled to be with the girls at this club, and it's all about pushing them to work harder so they can achieve amazing results."

"I've shared with them that I'm fulfilling my dream alongside them. I can't imagine a greater accomplishment than that."

If Celtic could achieve success at this level, it would be a significant milestone. Glasgow City advanced to the quarter-finals in 2013 and 2020, during a knockout format rather than a group stage. However, the women's game is improving rapidly overall.

Tracking the winners of the Dutch league, a major Spanish team, and the champions from England might seem like a challenging endeavor, but Sadiku is accustomed to overcoming obstacles.

Now her team must demonstrate a similar level of courage to create history again.