Celtic challenged to break ANOTHER record as Liam Scales draws out path to Champions League knockouts

-Credit: (Image: James Christie/Sportpix/Sipa USA)
-Credit: (Image: James Christie/Sportpix/Sipa USA)


Liam Scales believes Celtic can launch a bold bid for the Champions League knockout stage.

And the Parkhead ace is determined to secure a landmark win over Slovan Bratislava to kickstart their charge. Brendan Rodgers’ on-form troops are gearing up for Wednesday’s mouth-watering Euro opener against the Slovaks. Celtic go into the tie in great shape as they target making an impact on the continent’s biggest stage.

Rodgers wants to attack the tournament as he eyes progression beyond the new league phase and Scales agreed: “Yeah, definitely. It would be great for the club to be playing in knockout games in Europe. It would be amazing and that’s what we’re looking at. With the new format, who knows how it’s going to work out. Obviously it’s the first year it’s happened, so we need to go in thinking that we can get into the last 16 or into the play-off for the last 16, whatever way it works.”

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Rodgers made key additions to his unit during the summer transfer window and, asked if the squad assembled is geared towards getting into that last 16 stage, Scales said: “Yeah, definitely. There are two or three players in each position that are more capable of starting and making an impact for us.

Liam Scales during Celtic training session
Liam Scales during Celtic training session

“So I think that’s really going to push all of us to play our best football and I think we’re in a good place. It’s nice to have the extra games as well. I think it’s all positive.

“We know how difficult games in Europe are and we are prepared for that. But, at the same time, we’re happy with where we are.”

Celtic can get off to a flyer by beating Bratislava and laying a night-one bogey. In the previous group-stage set-up, the Parkhead side failed in 12 attempts to win their opening section game in a run stretching back to 2001.

But victory over Slovan in the new league format will bust that hoodoo and Scales said: “I didn’t know that, but look, it’s a home game and we’re in good form. It’s positive. It would be brilliant to break another record in midweek. It would be a great way to start the campaign and put us on the front foot.

“You don’t know how many points will get you a play-off spot, so it could be massive for us later on in the year. This place will be rocking. The fans will be excited for it, we’re all excited for it and really looking forward to it. So it would be great to go and get a win and start the campaign that way.”

Celtic won four points from last term’s home games against Lazio, Atlético Madrid and Feyenoord with all performances good. Scales said: “I feel like we were stronger at home than we were away. Obviously, in the away games, we got men sent off and that didn’t help.

“I feel like every game at home could have gone either way. If that’s the case, then we really need to be putting teams to bed and winning these home games this year.

“I think that’s where we can make an improvement. You hear that it’s a favourable draw and, on paper, it might look that way. But they’re all really good sides, playing at the top of their level.

“It is massively important to win those games at home. I think we’re in the right place now to go and do that because of how good we’ve been playing domestically. If we can bring that form and improve on it in Europe, we’ll have a good chance.”