Motherwell defender Bevis Mugabi insists the club's intense summer training camp in Austria has them well-drilled for the challenge they will face from Sligo Rovers in tonight's Europa Conference League second round qualifier.
The Steelmen welcome the League of Ireland outfit to Fir Park for the first leg in the knowledge their opponents are already up-and-running for the competitive season, while this will be Motherwell's first competitive fixture since a 6-0 hammering by Celtic on the final day of last season in May.
Earlier this month, boss Graham Alexander took his side to Europe for a week-long camp in the Austrian forest and Mugabi says the intensity of the Obertraun trip will make sure they are prepared for a huge night and says you will be hard pushed to find a fitter side.
The 27-year-old said: "We are ready, definitely – especially after our training camp in Austria.
“I don’t think anybody wants to go back there any time soon!
“It was a hard shift, very, very tough – especially with the 6am wake-up calls, then the running in the forest and the quadruple sessions we were doing.
“We kind of expected it. Kevin van Veen worked with the manager in the past and had been talking about the off-season programmes that he’d done.
“We went into it with the mindset it was going to be tough but we never knew it was going to be that tough.
“We had triple sessions, running in the forest, another session, more running... then a gym session to finish us off. It was more of a mental battle to get us mentally prepared for the season and it has definitely done that.
“I’d be surprised if there are many fitter teams than us, to be honest.
“We know Sligo are a good team, they have some good threats and they are here in this round because they’re a good team.
“You’re not in Europe if you’re not a competitive team that can get results.
“But we feel we deserve to be on this stage as well for what we did last season. The players are excited about it and that’s important.
“We’re not blase. We see it as a real challenge but an exciting one.
“I always fully respect every opponent we come up against and every opponent, every team and every manager, because it’s a hard sport – especially at the pro level.
“Everyone has good analysis, good organisation, and motivated people and talent. We won’t be taking anybody we play lightly.”
Mugabi will also be hoping to exorcise his demons of the Steelmen's last venture into Europe two years ago, when he was sent off in their Europa League qualifying win over Coleraine, which saw him miss out in the next round as 'Well fell to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel.
He added: “I just remember walking down the tunnel devastated but we managed to get through on a penalty shoot-out with Trevor Carson making a couple of good saves.
"Hopefully no more red cards for myself.
“It was very disappointing. I watched the game in Israel online and seeing the boys getting knocked out wasn’t a good
experience.
"Being sidelined and not being able to help the team was disappointing. Now I’ve got another opportunity to have a good European run.”
Motherwell will play the second leg next Thursday and the winners of this tie will face either Sparta Prague or Viking Stavanger in the third qualifying round next month.
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