KIERAN Tierney is confident the experience he gained with Celtic in the Champions League last season will help him to excel when he squares up to the likes of Neymar and Arjen Robben in this year’s competition.

And the left-back has insisted the Scottish champions can vie for a place in the knockout rounds for the fourth time in their history despite being drawn in Group B alongside Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Anderlecht.

It will be a huge achievement for Brendan Rodgers’s side to finish either first or second in their section and emulate the achievements of Gordon Strachan’s team in 2006 and 2008 or Neil Lennon’s men in 2012 by progressing to the last 16 given the quality of their opponents.

Yet, Tierney, who is reported to be interesting Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, is looking forward to testing himself against some of the best players in world football once again in the coming months and is optimistic they can fare well.

He enjoyed playing in three game against Barcelona, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Manchester City in European football’s premier club competition in the 2016/17 campaign before being ruled out by injury.

The 20-year-old Scotland internationalist felt that being involved against household names such as Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi and Raheem Sterling improved him and he is relishing playing at the same level going forward.

"It's going to be a tough group, but we will look forward to every single game,” he said. “We are up against great teams, top teams, and we know how good they are.

"But everyone also knows about Celtic and the atmosphere the fans create as well. It's a hard draw, but that's the Champions League. We just need to prepare well as always and we will see what happens.

"The experience we got last year will be good for us. I only played three group games before my injury, but I learned a lot from them. It was the same in the qualifiers last season and in the last few weeks.

"My European experience is increasing. It's great to test yourself against the best. I've already played against some of the best wingers in the world in the best competition in the world. As a player, that's what you want. For me, doing it with Celtic is absolutely brilliant.

"It's always frustrating when you get injured. There is no good time for it to happen. I missed three Champions League games and a cup final in the space of a few months. It was hard to take at the time, but as a footballer, you need to deal with that. I came back, worked hard and hopefully I get the chance to play this year."

Tierney added: “Hopefully I can use the experience this year. But it is hard. You watch one man and think you have got him. Then another one comes. And another one. There are third-man runs everywhere, people everywhere. That’s what top teams do. The movement is the thing that separates him.

“Someone goes one yard one way and you are spooked. Then he has the ball with space. Mentally, it is very exhausting. It’s hard. They are hard games. Mentally and physically, you need to be at your best, your peak. If you switch off for a second it can be a goal. That is the level we are playing at. All you can do is your best and I will be working hard every day.”

Tierney certainly held his own against Sterling in the match against Manchester City at Celtic Park in September; he forced the former Liverpool player to net an own goal in the first half and helped his side to earn a richly-deserved 3-3 draw.

“That was a good test for me at 19, coming up against a £50 million winger, a player people are expecting to do it,” he said. “Obviously he got the goal and did well that night as well. I tried to put in a shift and do my best.

“UEFA didn’t give me the goal at the other end, but I’ll try and take it anyway, I’ll say it was a shot. Raheem has tracked back and unluckily it has gone into his net. If he doesn’t want it, I’ll take it.

“I came up against him again when he came on for England. I’ve come up against a few good wingers and they are experiences which can make me a better player as well.”

The challenge that Tierney and his Celtic team mates will face in this season’s Champions League group stages will be every bit as demanding. They will be charged with repelling Neymar, the most expensive player in world football following his £199 million move to PSG, and Robben, the Bayern wide man, in their first two games.

"When Neymar was at Barcelona, the front three was incredible,” he said. “At PSG, they will probably be just as good. They have all cost a lot of money and they are top players, as everyone has seen.

"Robben is among the best wingers in the world. He's up there at the top. He's done it for many years now, producing at the highest level. If I get the chance to go up against him, I'd really look forward to it. It would be a big test. But all the wingers will be good at this level. It's always tough challenges.”

Still, Tierney, who was famously a ballboy when Celtic beat Barcelona 2-1 at Parkhead in 2012, believes his side should set their sights higher than third place and the consolation of a place in the last 32 of the Europa League.

"We don't think of it that way,” he said. “In football, you would never have the mindset of going out thinking you'll lose any game. You work hard every day and do your best against all teams and see where it takes you. The night we beat Barcelona was madness."