Liam Scales backs teammate Callum McGregor to come back stronger from Scottish Cup final penalty miss
LIAM SCALES reckons Callum McGregor will use his spot-kick heartache to return an even better player.
Skipper CalMac saw the first of Celtic's penalties saved, as they lost to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final shootout on Saturday.
McGregor, 31, was in tears after a historic ninth Treble slipped away — and had to be consoled as the Hoops waited for the Dons' trophy presentation.
But Ireland defender Scales said: 'He's a top leader and he won't need us to get him back to himself. Cal's a top player and he'll do it himself.
'We'll be around and we'll help him. He's such a good professional so I can't see it fazing him.
'I believe it will probably improve him.
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'Cal was emotional but it's just the way he is. He puts his heart on the line every week, and he'll take some responsibility for the penalty miss.
'But it's a penalty, it happens. Every player has missed one in their time. We won't put any blame on Callum.
'He loves the club, he loves being captain.
'But can he come back stronger? Yes, 100 per cent.'
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Alistair Johnston was also denied by Dons No 1 Dimitar Mitov to seal the Reds' win, while Hoops goalie Kasper Schmeichel flicked Shayden Morris' cross into his own net to cancel out Alfie Dorrington's own goal.
Scales added: 'There's no blame on anyone, they all know that. As a team we didn't perform as well as we should have.
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'We had 120 minutes to win the game.
'I wouldn't single them out at all. It's a team game and we just didn't perform to the levels we needed to win the game.
'The lads have been brilliant all season, and they will bounce back and be brilliant again next season, for sure.'
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