CELTIC captain Scott Brown says reaching the Champions League group stages for the second season running is the club's main target for the new campaign.

The Hoops landed in Austria on Monday to begin a pre-season training camp that will involve friendly matches against BW Linz and Rapid Vienna before a journey to the Czech Republic to face Slavia Prague.

Brown hopes the games will provide ideal preparation for his side's return to competitive action next month, when they will face either Linfield or La Fiorita in the Champions League second qualifying round. 

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“It’s a busy schedule but it’s all about getting prepared and ready for the Champions League qualifiers," he told celticfc.net.

“That’s our big aim this season. We need to make sure we get into the group stages and then see what we can do at that stage.

“Last season was a great season. It’s meant a lot to us and for us to come back as Invincibles and with the treble is great for us. Now we just have to push on.”

The Bhoys enjoyed domestic dominance in 2016/17, securing an unbeaten Treble and winning the league title with a 30-point advantage over runners-up Aberdeen.

But Brown believes there is still improvement to be made in the new campaign.

He said: “The gaffer always wants us to improve every day, whether it’s in training, in the gym, whatever you’re doing.

"And this season we’ve got to maintain more of the ball, keep possession and create more chances and score more goals, and here’s hoping we can win even more games this season.”