Paul Hanlon is convinced Hibernian will reap the rewards of their pain in Spain.
The Easter Road side were put through a gruelling eight days in the searing heat of the Costa del Sol last week.
Their stay in Marbella climaxed with a chastening 4-0 defeat to English Premier League outfit Bournemouth.
But, with a more satisfying 2-0 victory over Europa and the benefits of an intense camp with their team-mates, Hanlon insists confidence is high ahead of the new season.
Lee Johnson’s side return to competitive action with the first-leg of their Europa Conference League second round qualifier a week on Thursday.
Hanlon said: “We learned a lot from the [Bournemouth] game. We had to work really hard as a team against a really good side.
“Against a team like that, you need to be intense and really sharp. The heat does take it out of you a little bit and you can lose that sharpness sometimes, and that can cost you.
“[Coach] Dave Gray was telling us after the game that the heart rates were through the roof, so there was a lot of fitness to be gained from it and some important learnings too.
“Overall, it was a great camp and hopefully we will all [be] a lot fitter and sharper.
“Everything was first-class, from the hotel to the pitches and the games. On top of that, there has been a good bit of team bonding, [and] integrating the young lads and the new signings into the group as well.
“We’re all looking forward to the season ahead. It feels like we’ve got a really close group together and we’re confident we can be successful heading into the new season.”
