Manager Elena Sadiku is “excited for what we have in front of us” despite Celtic exiting the Champions League after just four games and without earning a point.
The Scottish club still have two games in Group B to play but now cannot progress after losing 3-0 at Chelsea.
The in-form Women’s Super League (WSL) side are through to the quarter-finals with a couple of games to spare in a lop-sided pool in which Real Madrid need just a point to join them in the last eight.
Celtic will hope to claim a first point of their campaign when they travel to Twente on 17 December – but Sadiku has been encouraged by her players dealing with Chelsea’s star-studded line-up better than WSL sides have this season.
“It says a lot about the team I have. We have quality players and the players are learning that as a team we can compete with Chelsea and Real Madrid,” she said.
“I have seen them hurt other teams more than they have hurt us.
“You can see how good they have been against top players. There are star players in every position for them.”
Celtic beat Vorskla 3-0 on aggregate to become the first Scottish side to qualify for the Women’s Champions League group stage since it was introduced in 2020-21.
But they lost 2-0 to Twente in their Group B opener then were thrashed 4-0 by Real Madrid before Sonia Bompastor’s side won 2-1 at Celtic Park last week.
Wednesday’s return game in London made it 11 wins from 11 games for Bompastor and the difference in quality was obvious, with Celtic surviving on just 27.7% possession.
They had only two touches in the Chelsea box compared to their opponents’ 57, no corners in contrast to the Blues’ 15 and three shots to the WSL side’s 25.
“We are learning and growing. We are growing in confidence,” added Sadiku.
“There are many things we can also improve. This experience is going to be a great one for us in the future.
“When we sit down and go through what we’ve achieved and done, I feel proud – but also have hunger to win the league again, be more successful and play in the Champions League again.
“I’m excited for what we have in front of us. This is the start of something new. We want Celtic to be a team people know about in women’s football.
“The players also need to take with them that if they can perform like this, they can be brave and confident.”
