Why Celtic's Liam Scales can't wait to return to 'mad' Ibrox

• Prepared well and players are returning to the squad
• It is NOT a title decider
• Equal pressure on both sides
• Derby matches are mental and take your breath away
• The huge importance of captain Callum McGregor 

Everything that Celtic defender Liam Scales said ahead of Sunday's match against Rangers at Ibrox...

What is the mood of the squad ahead of the biggest game of the season?

It's good we are preparing well this week. We have had a full week to train and get ready for it. We are feeling good and we are getting everything right and preparing for the weekend.

Are you coming into this match in terms of squad and personnel in the best possible shape?

Yes, definitely. People are getting back fit and we are coming into a period where the midweek games have sort of slowed down and we have full weeks to prepare for games. That has given us a little bit of a breather and it has been good for us.

How do you assess the ramifications of this match in terms of the title race as it is so tight at the top? How significant would a win be?

It's important for the title race. It is not a title decider. There are plenty more games to play and we still have to play them after the split. It is definitely massively important. A win would be huge for us. We know that but we also know that it is not a decider. It is three points like every other game and we are treating it like that.

Is there more pressure on Rangers?

I don't think so. It is quite equal. It is so tight whatever way it goes there is equal pressure on us both.

You have two wins in this fixture already and played in both of those games. How have you found the experiences?

Mental. The first one at Ibrox to be thrown into that was mad. I couldn't catch my breath for 10 minutes. I got into the game and settled well. We got good results in both of them. It is a brilliant game to be part of. I am really looking forward to it again. It is the sort of game you want to be playing in as a footballer. It is up there with the biggest in world football.

Is that the first career game where you couldn't catch your breath because it was the type of game you have never experienced before?

Yes, I'd say it is. The intensity of it and the atmosphere inside the ground have a lot to do with it. It was probably the most intense game I have played in. It is up there with the Champions League games, I suppose, in terms of intensity and you have that rivalry there which makes it intense.

Having experienced both of those games and winning, especially the one at Ibrox, are you personally in a different place now than when you were when you went into that first match at Ibrox?

I have experience of it now and that helps. At the same time, I am still preparing for it in the same way as I prepared for that match all those months ago. I know what to expect now and that will help me.

Given where you are in terms of the title race with seven games to go does this feel like the biggest of your career?

They are all big. Probably towards the end of the season, they do get a bit more intense, especially when it is this tight. So probably, yes.

In terms of where the team is at the minute are you in a good place because you are getting players back fit and the results you have had over the last couple of weeks?

Apart from the Hearts game we've been on a good run and scored a lot of goals and we kept a clean sheet on the weekend which was good. We've struggled recently to get a string of clean sheets so we are hoping to take that on with us. We are in a good place players are coming back from injury and we've neatly got a full squad fit, so it's looking good for us.

How much of a boost has that given the guys when you see players like Cameron (Carter-Vickers), Callum (McGregor), Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston coming back?

It is great they are good players and they have all experience in this game. It's massive for us to have as strong a squad as possible and even if they weren't here we have guys more than capable of filling in. That helps a lot.

That must give you confidence because in previous games against Rangers, you have had big players missing but you still managed to get the results, didn't you?

Yes. It's a difficult game regardless of whether players are fit or not. We just have to go there with what we have and that's what we have done so far this season. We are looking forward to it.

What is it like knowing if Callum is fit especially, what is it like to have him playing in front of you and what does he bring to the squad and yourself knowing that he is with you?

He is massive for us. He is our leader and mentally that helps because you are going there with your captain. That is massive for us. He is a top, top player and he is so good at controlling the tempo of the game and that is going to be key for us. He is a huge player to have in fixtures like this.