Liam Scales says no confidence crisis ahead of Celtic's Sunday derby

Celtic defender Liam Scales told reporters on Thursday that there is “definitely not, no crisis” at the club, insisting the side’s confidence remains intact ahead of Sunday’s Premiership derby against Rangers at Celtic Park.

Recent setbacks in Europe and the Cup

The club entered Thursday’s Europa League campaign with a 3‑1 opening defeat to Ferencvaros, a Hungarian side, after having been eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup by Rangers 3‑0 the previous week. Both results have been described as damaging back‑to‑back defeats for Martin O'Neill’s side.

Scales said the night in Budapest felt “tough” and “nervy”, adding that Celtic were decent in the first half before conceding just before half‑time and again immediately after the break. He blamed “individual errors, myself included” for the loss of momentum.

He stressed that the Ferencvaros setback will not damage Celtic’s approach to the upcoming league clash, noting that the Europa League is a “completely different competition” and that the team still have seven games left in that tournament.

Looking ahead to the Rangers derby

According to Scales, key moments in big games have often swung the other way because of “little 50‑50 decisions” and isolated mistakes. He urged the squad to separate the two defeats and focus on the next challenge.

Celtic, he pointed out, have won every Premiership match so far this season, a run he hopes to extend with a positive result on Sunday. “A win would completely change the narrative and the feeling around the place,” he said.

Addressing criticism of recent signings, Scales argued they have already grasped the club’s demands, merely needing time to reach full consistency. He praised the new lads for showing “bits of magic” and believes they will improve as they settle.

In his view, a victory over Rangers will not only halt the recent dip but also reinforce the belief that Celtic can compete on multiple fronts without a loss of confidence.