Liam Scales insists Celtic have a point to prove in Europe, starting with their trip to Benfica on Thursday. The defender said the team must use last season's away win over Feyenoord as a benchmark for improvement after a disappointing start to their continental campaign.
Scales explained how the recent international break provided a needed respite and has renewed the squad's confidence ahead of a key run of fixtures. He said the break gave the team a chance to refresh and that players returned with more energy and belief. The squad held a meeting after returning to go through their principles and watched clips of their best performances. Scales said, adding that the team does not need external criticism to feel hurt.
Building on domestic improvement
The 2-0 win over Motherwell on Sunday ended a three-game losing streak and gave Celtic a platform to build on. Goals from Camilo Duran and Benjamin Nygren secured the victory, with Duran now the team's top scorer this season with four goals. Scales praised the performance and the clean sheet, noting the team created many chances and could have scored more. That result kept Celtic top of the Premiership, holding a two-point lead with 21 points from eight games.
Learning from past European success
Scales pointed directly to the away win at Feyenoord last November as the standard Celtic must reach in tough European games. "The Feyenoord win showed what Celtic can do and is a reference for European fixtures," he said. He added that the team knows where they can get to and just needs to execute now. That victory, along with one at Stuttgart last season, provides a blueprint for the challenge in Lisbon.
Facing the Europa League challenge
Celtic's European season has been difficult, with a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros and an exit from the Champions League play-offs against LASK. Scales acknowledged the campaign has been disappointing so far. "Definitely. Listen, it doesn’t get much harder in the Europa League than this next one," Scales said. "Benfica away is a tough, tough game." He stressed that Celtic always have something to prove on the European stage and must do better.
The reintegration of Jota after 18 months out has been a significant lift for the squad. Scales highlighted the winger's impact and work ethic, saying his return gave the team a major boost and it is amazing to see him back. Celtic's focus now shifts entirely to the Estadio da Luz, aiming to replicate their Rotterdam performance and restore confidence before returning to domestic action against Hearts. Check the upcoming fixtures for the full schedule.
Read the full report at Daily Record Football
