Tensions are escalating in the Scottish Women’s Premier League as Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku responded sharply to comments made by Rangers boss Jo Potter concerning Celtic’s pre-match huddle ritual.
The controversy arises just before the pivotal Glasgow Derby match set for Monday at Broadwood, with both teams neck-and-neck at the top of the league standings.
Last week, during the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, which saw Rangers defeat Celtic 2-0, Potter criticised Celtic’s pre-match huddle, suggesting it was used as a disruptive tactic. She expressed dissatisfaction with the duration of the huddle and implied that match officials should intervene to shorten such pre-game activities.
In response, Sadiku defended her team’s tradition, stating, “We always do the same thing before games but I think she just wants to have something to say and be tough about it, so I don’t care what she’s saying. If she says that that’s our mindset, then she can just think that because I couldn’t care less.”
She further dismissed Potter’s comments as irrelevant, saying that the huddle has always been a part of their routine and scoffing at the notion that it was meant to unsettle their opponents. “I just think if there’s something that she wants to say to, I don’t know, to feel like she’s better or whatever, like let her say so, I don’t care,” Sadiku added, quoted by PLZ.
The upcoming derby game carries significant weight, as both teams are currently tied on points but Celtic leads on goal difference. With only four games remaining, including this critical encounter, the outcome could decisively impact the title race.
