Kelly Clark: It will be a dream come true to lead Celtic out for Women's Champions League

Celtic captain Kelly Clark admits it will be “a dream come true” to lead the team out at Parkhead for their Champions League match against Chelsea.

History will be made when the women’s side play a group stage match in the elite competition at Celtic Park for the first time and the team will be facing world-class opposition in the shape of English WSL title-holders Chelsea.

The stage is set for a special occasion and Clark admits she is excited at the prospect, having cheered on the Celtic men’s side in the competition.

“It’s huge,” she said. “The stuff dreams are made of.

“I come and watch the guys play in the Champions League here and it’s an occasion like nothing else you could ever experience.

“To be doing it tomorrow night is genuinely a dream come true. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to meet the group, to arrive at the stadium and see what it’s like.

“It’s weird being in the stadium and seeing everything that’s happening round about me and knowing it’s the prep for our Champions League game.

“All the people wandering about with UEFA lanyards on, it’s just mental.

“It’ll be a hugely proud moment and I just can’t wait.”

Clark, who will have her family watching on from the stands as she leads the team, was supporting Brendan Rodgers’ side when they enjoyed a memorable 3-1 win over RB Leipzig last week and is hoping for a special atmosphere on Wednesday.

The side’s previous home game against Twente Enschede in the group stage was played in Hamilton but the team did play at Celtic Park in a 9-0 win over Dundee United in August, an experience Clark hopes is helpful.

“We don’t play here every week so it’s good that we played the first game of the season here and now everybody in the squad has experienced it,” she said.

“Against Twente it was very loud and I think tomorrow has the potential to be louder.

“It does change the game because you can’t communicate the way you usually do. Obviously it’s a bit of a mental game but you have to [manage it], At times you’ll ignore it and at times you’ll use it for energy.

“But in the grand scheme of things, it is just 11 v 11 tomorrow night like any other game, as hard as that is to put into practice.

“To have had the team experience it before is a positive because I remember it being quite daunting when we did it the first time.”

Celtic have lost their opening two games in the group, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Twente in the opening match before a 4-0 reverse away to Real Madrid.

The team are huge underdogs in the group but head coach Elena Sadiku is hoping the backing of the crowd can help the side as they look to shock Celtic.

“We’re all set about the game plan and the players know exactly what to do tomorrow,” she said. “For me, I’m going to try and give them as much energy as possible from the sidelines.

“They might not hear me but I promise they’ll see my body language at least.

“The support from the fans is so important because it’s going to be tough.

“We have huge respect for Chelsea as a team and I have huge respect for the manager Sonia Bompastor.

“But it’s a game where we want to put the best performance in and we’re going to try to win the game.”