HOLD OUR NERVE FOR THE SERBS

Bhoys are battle-hardened for intimidating away days

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

CELTIC are heading into the Belgrade bearpit but Li. Scales insists his side won't blink.

Red Star’s Marakana - or officially the Rajko Mitic Stadium - is one of the most notorious arenas in Europe.

There's the infamous tunnel for starters. It’s a 100-yard walk through the dark and foreboding underbelly, where the walls are covered in sinister graffiti scribbled by hardline ultras, including pictures of dozens of creepy eyes that seem like they are peering into players souls.

And all of that is before away teams step out in front of 50,000 fans baying for blood.

But Scales is convinced Celts won't buckle in the intimidating Serbian coliseum.

The Ireland defender, 27, has faced up to the likes of Borussia Dortmund’s famed Yellow Wall and the deafening noise whipped up by Feyenoord’s De Kuip.

Heading to Ibrox with little or no fans is hardly a walk in the park either but it’s all experiences in the bank that will allow Brendan Rodgers’ men to take tomorrow night's Europa League opener in their stride.

Scales said: “I've never played in Belgrade before but I've heard it's a tough place to go to and the atmosphere is quite good, so I'm looking forward to it.