Desmond: We want to qualify for later stages of Champions League
Tomorrow night Celtic host Fenerbahce in the Europa League following successive failures to reach the last 32 of the elite competition.
It’s less than three years since Celtic beat Barcelona on route to the last 16 with Desmond, who first invested in Celtic 20 years ago, insisting that the club still aspires to mix it with the best sides on the continent.
“I think there’s a major disconnect between the finance available to teams in Scotland and the finances to the Premier League, La Liga etc,” the Irishman told STV.
“With the resource available and the club in good financial health what we’re trying to do is to apply intellectual capital onto financial capital too and improve the performances of the team.
“I’m confident that in the future the best of Ronny Deila and the best of Celtic is to come.
“I think in fairness we have greater resources than any other team at present in the Scottish Premiership. I think our first challenge is to win the Premiership and get into competing in the Champions League. After that it is qualifying for the later stages of the Champions League.
“Winning the league, it’s not about points. It’s like golf, it’s not how you play the hole it is what the result is at the end.”
Celtic’s Champions League conquerors Malmo face Real Madrid at home tonight after opening their campaign with a defeat away to Paris St-Germain.