Celtic defender Liam Scales admits the team have been warned not to let red cards sabotage their Champions League ambitions in Dortmund on Tuesday night.
Having already taken Slovan Bratislava’s scalp, Saturday’s scintillating six-goal demolition of St Johnstone in the Premiership will see Brendan Rodgers’ side arrive in Germany at the very top of their form.
However, last season’s European campaign was undermined by early dismissals for Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm away to Feyenoord, while Daizen Maeda was sent off when Celtic faced Atletico Madrid on the road.
With three points on the board, Irishman Scales says the team are confident of adding to that tally against Borussia.
But, having seen how costly ill-discipline can be at this level a year ago, he feels the players must heed Rodgers’ warning of the pitfalls that lie in wait.
‘The manager would have spoken about it before the first game against Bratislava because it killed us in two fixtures last season – getting men sent off,’ he said.
McGregor looks on in disbelief as team-mate Holm is sent off against Feyenoord
Celtic defender Lagerbielke, above centre, was red carded in the same match
Holm pleads his innocence but his dismissal hurt Celtic against Feyenoord
‘Obviously they were difficult fixtures last season, but it is important.
‘You’ve seen the ref as well against Bratislava, and in every Champions League game. You can’t really make a foul without picking up a yellow card. We just need to be careful but still be intense in our defending. It’s just something we need to look out for.’
Despite going up against last season’s beaten finalists, Scales sees no reason why Celtic can’t pull off a historic result if they keep a full quota of players on the pitch.
‘I believe we can go there and win it,’ said the 26-year-old.
‘We just need to play the way we’ve been playing and see where that takes us.
‘Obviously they’ve got a top, top side and, in a Champions League game, we know it’s going to be difficult.
‘But we also need to go there with a bit of confidence that, if we play our game, we can go and win.
Maeda was also sent off for a challenge in the game with Atletico Madrid
The Japanese striker is sent packing as Antoine Griezmann looks on
Manager Rodgers could hardly look as his best laid plans went up in smoke in Madrid
Liam Scales says the players have been warned to avoid red cards in Euro clashes
“If we play the way we’ve been playing in the league, it gives us our best chance of getting a result there and that’s what we plan to do.
‘We’re playing good football, we’re winning games, we’re keeping clean sheets.
‘That’s given us the most confidence that we can possibly have going into a game like this.
‘It’s obviously going to be really difficult and we’ll do very well to get a result, but we believe we can.’
While Greg Taylor was taken off as a precaution at half-time in Perth, Cameron Carter-Vickers is a doubt for Dortmund after missing the weekend match with a toe injury.
But Scales believes fellow defender Auston Trusty showed enough at Perth to suggest he could handle the occasion in Signal Iduna Park if selected.
‘He was brilliant,’ he said of the 26-year-old American.
‘Cam’s a massive player for us, but I keep saying that strength and depth is massive, the competition for places.
‘No-one’s place is secure in the team at the moment because of how good the next player is to come in.
‘Even when we rotate, I don’t think it weakens us. It’s just a really good place to be.’