Elyounoussi eager to end wait for a group stage spot
THE BIG KICK-OFF CELTIC’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXILE HAS NORWEGIAN FIRED UP
FOR Mohamed Elyounoussi, his first season at Celtic saw elation turn into frustration. An initial smash hit upon his arrival on loan from Southampton, the 25-year-old midfielder’s campaign was later stifled by hamstring and foot issues before the league was finished early due to the Covid-19 global pandemic.
However, with the benefits of a full pre-season under his belt with his Parkhead team-mates, the Norway international feels ready to hit the ground running in 2020-21 after netting in pre-season friendlies against Lyon and Ross County.
And when the new season kicks off at home to Hamilton Accies on Sunday, the attacker is hoping to form a potent partnership down the flank with left-back Greg Taylor.
‘It was difficult last season but I feel fit now,’ said Elyounoussi.
‘But I had a chance to work hard during the break and I felt fresh when I came back to training. I can see the boys have done the same.
‘It helps when I have more time to prepare with the team. The connection gets better all the time and we have been trying to build that up on the left side with Greg.
‘You can see it getting better all the time and with more games, hopefully, we will be even stronger as the season goes on.
‘The more time that you spend working together as a team, the better you get.
‘I am feeling sharp right now and I think all the boys in the squad are looking good. We need to train hard for the next few days and get ready for Sunday’s match.’
For Celtic, this season is all about trying to reach an historic ten in a row. Elyounoussi is also desperate for the club to reach the lucrative Champions League group stage after a three-year absence.
But with qualifiers one-legged affairs behind closed doors this summer due to Covid-19, there is no margin for error. ‘The Champions League is really big for me,’ said Elyounoussi, who returned to the east end of Glasgow in June on a seasonlong loan from St Mary’s Stadium.
‘It is no secret that everyone at the club wants to get back there this season.
‘This stadium, the crowd and these players — the Champions League is what this club deserves.
‘There are four rounds of qualifiers to go through but, hopefully, we can reach our goal of getting to the group stage.’
Elyounoussi, who scored seven goals for the club and created six last season, chooses not to publicly reveal his on-field personal aims. But the target he has to shoot for came in his finest season to date — for Basel in Switzerland three years ago. ‘I never talk about my targets but, of course, I have them,’ he smiled. ‘I want to score as many goals as I can for Celtic. I also want to provide as many assists as I can. ‘That is my role in the team and at the start of every season I do make some targets for myself. ‘You will never find me talking about them in public, though. I keep my personal targets a secret. ‘But my best return in one season was with Basel in 2017/18.
‘I scored 13 goals and got 17 assists in that season — and that is probably the best record I have had in my career so far.
‘At Celtic, the manager wants me to get a lot of goals and assists.
‘The good thing is that I know when I step on to the pitch that I will probably get at least one chance to score in every game.
‘It is all about me being clinical when I do get into the position to score a goal.
‘Against Ross County at Celtic Park on Sunday, I scored with my first chance of the game.
‘It was a great cross from Jeremie Frimpong and I was happy to put the ball in the net.
‘We could have scored even more goals against County but we will sharpen up in front of goal as the games go on.
‘But I am happy with the way things are going. We are looking strong defensively and it was good to get a clean sheet against Ross County.’
If Celtic are successful in their pursuit of West Ham forward Albian Ajeti on a seasonlong loan — with an option to buy next summer — it would mean a reunion for Elyounoussi with his former Basel team-mate.
Ajeti played alongside him that season in Switzerland when the winger recorded his best goals and assists totals for a campaign. An omen for the coming season then? The Norwegian opted to avoid the topic with the same ease he will be hoping to elude rival defenders in the next few months. ‘I am not going to comment on that,’ he grinned.