Arne Engels: We're working hard ahead of an exciting season | OneFootball

After winning the Cork Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over Cork City on Tuesday evening, Celtic travelled from Ireland to Lisbon yesterday to continue their pre-season training camp.

This morning, the Scottish Champions got to work on the training pitches at the Cidade do Futebol (the City of Football), the training centre which is used by the Portuguese men’s national team.

Upon arriving at the state-of-the-art facility, the Bhoys were met with the spine-tingling sight of the Estádio Nacional, the site of Celtic’s greatest triumph, which sits only a few hundred yards away from the Hoops’ pre-season training base.

In every sense, it is the perfect backdrop for the Celts’ intense training sessions, as Brendan Rodgers and his men set their sights on more glory next season.

And speaking exclusively to Celtic TV at the Cidade do Futebol today, midfielder Arne Engels shared his own excitement at being involved in his first Celtic pre-season, having joined the Celts after their pre-season camp last year.

Engels, who was named the club’s Young Player of the Year last season, also spoke of his own ambitions for season 2025/26 as well as the team’s desire to achieve even more in the year ahead.

“I’m really excited to be doing my first pre-season here.” he said. “I always want to do better and better, and it’s no different this year.

“I’m setting new goals of my own and also as part of the team, so hopefully I can reach them.

“It’s going to be a really exciting year for all of us, and we are here to get a really good preparation to be the best of ourselves.

“It’s really been a tough couple of weeks already with double sessions so it’s a good preparation for the season.”

Whilst in Portugal, the Bhoys will face Estrela da Amadora and Sporting CP, with both matches available to Celtic TV subscribers, and manager, Brendan Rodgers, has been keen to stress that with Celtic's pre-season fixtures, there are ‘no friendlies, only tests’.

Those tests are crucial in the team's preparation for next season, and Arne Engels said that the intense training sessions and tactical work in the lead-up to those fixtures will play a key part in readying the squad for the challenges that lie ahead.

He added: “If you are going into a game and then three days later you have another one, it’s sometimes difficult to get some points that would help with a big week ahead.

“It’s always nice to get in to details. That makes you better, and for the team, we’re only going to be stronger and stronger.

“I feel that already in the training sessions, the quality is getting better and better. I’m really excited for the upcoming training sessions and games.”

Arne Engels’ full interview is available to watch exclusively on Celtic TV.

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