IN a little over three weeks’ time, Celtic will kick off the new season and the bid for 10-in-a-row. But regardless of what is at stake, Scott Bain knows that he and his team-mates can thrive under such circumstances.

The Celtic squad are heading out to France today after a week working at Loughborough University, with three games against Nice, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain lined up as part of the preparations ahead of the Scottish Premiership season starting next month.

“The players have shown that they’re more than capable of handling any pressure that gets put on them,” said Bain in an exclusive interview with the official Celtic website. “For us as a squad, we don’t read into what’s anyone else is saying. We just know that, if we do the job we set out to do, and do it to our full ability, then we can come away with three points.

“It might sound like a cliché but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We always focus fully on one game at a time, and, if we can play the way we’re capable of, we can ignore the outside noise.”

The 28-year-old stopper said the team’s focus is fully concentrated on preparing for the season ahead and ensuring they find their peak form as quickly as possible.

“The boys are really chomping at the bit to get back into it, given the way last season ended,” said Bain. “Right now we’re all really focused on getting back into it and excited to get on the pitch and start the season off as well as we possibly can.

“We’ve been back for a few weeks now and it already feels back to normal, as if we’ve never been away. Everyone’s been really excited to be back and that’s made for a great atmosphere every day.

"Even just getting out the house every day for several hours and having that routine back is something we all really appreciate.”

Scott Bain: Bhoys are ready for the challenge of season ahead