Celje advances in Champions League qualifiers after penalty shootout drama

NK Celje secured a dramatic advancement in the Champions League qualifiers, overcoming Albanian champions Egnatia in a penalty shootout at the Z'dežele stadium. Coach Vitor Campelos had predicted luck would favor his team, and it proved true as Celje earned their hard-fought victory.

“

We are proud. We played a physical game with 16 players. A pity, we were close to history for Albanian football. I wish Celje good luck.

Egnatia, a stark contrast to their performance in the first leg, displayed organization, discipline, and motivation away from home. Their coach, Nevil Dede, expressed pride in his team's effort despite the loss, lamenting their near-historic achievement for Albanian football. Dede also accused Campelos of provocation and insults during the match, a claim Campelos vehemently denied, stating he remained in his technical area and did not insult anyone.

“

I don't know. Never. This is crazy. I was in our area the whole time and didn't insult anyone.

Campelos, visibly relieved, analyzed the tough match, emphasizing that even top teams must know how to suffer. He explained the team's struggles with long passes from the opponent and their less-than-optimal physical condition due to late arrivals of some players. Celje aimed to create numerical superiority in midfield against Egnatia's defensive setup but conceded a goal from a counter-attack they should have avoided.

“

We knew it would be difficult. Sometimes great teams must know how to suffer. The most important thing is that we advanced.

Regarding speculation about Albert Riera's presence, Campelos stated that coaches often attend matches and Riera, having done good work previously, is always welcome. He deflected questions about the potential return of Benjamin Verbič, preferring to focus solely on the match. Campelos also discussed the penalty shootout, explaining that while practiced, they avoid overemphasizing it to prevent players from expecting matches to go to penalties.

“

I don't know if he was here or not, but coaches come to watch games. That's normal. I also watch games when I'm not working. And I think Riera did a good job here, so he is always welcome here.