However, Alonso looked to the positives and instead took the time to work on other aspects in training, and the staff also got the opportunity to see the latest Academy prospects step up to first-team training.

“There are positives and negatives to having players on international duty," he said. “You have more time to work on things you normally can’t work on because you usually only have a week to prepare for a game.

“So you might need to prioritise what you have to work on, but because we had a few weeks, we could put emphasis on other things like kick-offs and things that you normally can’t work on. So that’s been positive.

‘It has also been positive that we have been able to bring some of our Academy players up. We managed to get a glimpse of the future at Celtic. Obviously, for them, that is important as well.’

“The negative side is obviously some of our international players aren’t there. So we can’t do a lot of tactical work for the specific game because some of those players will be in the starting XI.

“It has its positives and negatives, but it’s the same for every team. During these types of weeks, we try to get the best out of it. I think it’s been a very positive time for us.”

With the Ghirls now returning from the most recent international break on Sunday, there are a big few weeks ahead for the entire squad. In the next three games, Celtic take on Glasgow City twice, with a cup semi-final to come next weekend, quickly after the SWPL clash.

Although there is no doubt that will be an exciting prospect for Alonso getting to lead his squad out at Hampden Park, his focus is strictly on the first of the two games between the teams.

The Spaniard isn’t expecting there to be much between the sides, but he is hopeful his players can come away victorious and hand City their first league defeat of the season.

He said: “If I’m totally honest, I have no focus whatsoever on the semi-final next week. I’m not focusing on Hearts in midweek, either. I only care about this game on Sunday. It’s so important.

‘We really want the three points, and we are going to fight as much as we can to get the victory.’

“We felt in the last game against Glasgow City at Petershill Park, we weren’t great. We were a bit unlucky. At 0-0 we don’t get a clear penalty, and then we have an opportunity to score at 1-1.

“They are a very clever and experienced team, and in the last minute of that game they managed to get the winner.

“We felt like we were so close. The last game at Excelsior Stadium was the same. We felt like we should have had another penalty and then the one great action they score from.

“So it’s fine margins. This time, we are hoping to control these margins, and hopefully, we can beat them for the first time this season because nobody has done that. We did that against Rangers a few months ago.

“So we're hoping that we can do the same on Sunday. But we know it’s going to be very tight, and we will have to be at our best because they are a very good team.”

Fran Alonso: The squad is looking forward to getting back to action