Brendan Rodgers has brought the punters back – but it is European football that will give them something they really want to see.

The journey to the group stages of the Uefa Champions League has been fraught for Celtic in recent seasons. The Parkhead side have missed both the financial bounty and the prestige that comes with participation for the last two years and with Astana the next hurdle in wait, it could be that this summer proves to be just as tough.

Rodgers will take his team to Kazakhstan on Monday in order to give the Hoops time to acclimatise and prepare for the game against Astana, whose home record suggests Celtic cannot afford to take them lightly – they have been beaten only three times at home in their last 59 games, with one of those defeats coming in a Cup shoot-out.

Callum McGregor, the Celtic midfielder who featured in Wednesday night’s comfortable win over Lincoln Red Imps, believes that Celtic will be ready for the test.

“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “We have been working hard in training. We are still only four and a half weeks into pre- season training, but we are getting fitter every day.

“We are training hard and the manager is trying to get his style of play over to the players. In the last couple of games you can start to see what he has been giving us tactically and techni-cally. It is starting to come together. Hopefully on Wednesday night we will be ready.”

McGregor was something of a recognisable face in the Hoops squad when Rodgers first arrived at the club in June.

The midfielder played against Liverpool during his loan stint at Notts County, earning a 2-2 draw in the Capital One Cup.

Liverpool went on to win 4-2 after extra-time, but McGregor’s face was remembered by the former Anfield boss.

McGregor said: “We had a brief conversation about that. He obviously remembered it. It went to extra-time.

“It was 2-2 in the game and then we fell away in extra-time. I had an assist.

“It was good. We just had a chat about the game and the goals I have scored.”

Before Celtic can look towards this week game in Kazakhstan they have a friendly to enjoy against Leicester this evening.

The unfashionable Premiership side have repeatedly been held up as the fairytale for all to aspire to, and there are parallels between what they achieved by winning the English title and what Celtic aspire to do on a European level this season.

“Yes, definitely,” said McGregor when asked if Claudio Ranieri’s side were an inspiration. “They won the Premier League last year, everyone expected them to fall away but each week they just got stronger and stronger.

“It just shows it can be done with a real good team ethic and working hard together.

“So if we take a wee bit of that into these Champions League qualifiers hopefully we’ll be alright.”

Celtic Park was vibrant and energetic on Wednesday evening as Celtic unfurled the Championship flag before seeing off Lincoln Red Imps.

The new all-standing area of the stadium injected fresh life into the stadium and McGregor believes that it has a knock-on effect on the players on the field.

“We have sold a lot of season tickets,” said McGregor. “That is a good indicator that the crowds are coming back.

“Hopefully we can go on a good Champions League run.

“With Rangers coming back in, the place should be rocking again. It will be really good and really enjoyable to play in.

You saw it on Wednesday night – when the place is rocking it gives you that extra half a yard. It is a great atmosphere and great to play in.

“It was great. The fans were excellent again. The safe standing area has brought another level to the noise so it has been great.”

McGregor was out on loan the last time Celtic were involved in the group stages of the Cham-pions League and this time last season when Celtic had to get through a similarly tricky tie against Qarabag, he was in the stand.

The midfielder, who impressed in bursts last season under Ronny Deila, is desperate to play a part in getting Celtic through the qualifiers.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. I was there when we were to face Qarabag, it was difficult conditions and we know this will be the same,” he said.

“We’ve got Leicester on Saturday first and we know that will be another test for us, but we’ll be a bit fitter and stronger and hopefully we can take that into the game on Wednesday.

“We’ve got loads of attacking options and you saw on Wednesday it was a really attacking team. So we know we’ve got that in the locker.

“That system is more suited to going forward. I know a lot of the time in Europe, in these tough games you might not be able to be as attacking as that.

“We know we’ve got that option, we can put a lot of attacking players on the park and go and put a performance on.”