Elena Sadiku maintained she was “proud” of her Celtic players despite a sobering 4-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Caroline Weir got the ball rolling with a glorious seventh minute opener before Signe Bruun netted deep into the second period. Caroline Moller added a third before Linda Caicedo added a fourth from the spot. The Celtic boss said: “I think coming into this game we have highlighted we need to show the braveness we know we have in possession and being confident. I was proud of how we defended in the first-half. We frustrated them. We created chances second half and they could have changed the game.
“We need to execute them. How we attacked and how calm we were, that shows what I want from this team. No-one thought we would be here, it is about enjoying it. It should not have been 4-0, 2-0 would be more acceptable. I was proud of their efforts. Everyone in Scotland should be behind us because we are here and we are doing something no-one else is doing.”
Weir took just seven minutes to make her mark with a glorious effort that flew high into the top corner from outside of the box. The only real surprise for Celtic was that they made it into the break with only one goal in it after soaking up the pressure.
Kelly Clark was forced into a block after the Hoops played their way into trouble as they tried to play out from the back with striker Amy Gallacher, back in her own box, had a clearance deflected off the woodwork. Celtic had two decent chances to snatch something in the second period with Emma Lawton firing into the side-netting.
A few minutes later the 23-year-old then provided Murphy Agnew who ever was well over the bar. Madrid doubled their lead midway through the second period after pulling Celtic apart with their passing.
Bruun headed past Daugherty for the killer second before Madrid firmly turned the screw. Bruna gifted Madrid possession on the back of a tired pass with Moller simply lifting it into the back of the net. The fourth came via the spot after Celtic substitute Shannon McGregor was judged to have fouled Linda Caicedo with the striker duly sending it into the back of the net.