McGregor reckons Scots will adapt to conditions

Callum McGregor believes Celtic’s previous experience in Astana can help when Scotland open their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign in the Kazakh city on Thursday.

Celtic played Astana in the Champions League qualifiers in 2016 and 2017, progressing both times.

The Hoops first drew 1-1 on the same Astana Arena artificial surface that Scotland will play on on Thursday before losing 4-3 the following year after a 5-0 first-leg triumph.

The Hoops also beat Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan in 2013 when Scotland winger James Forrest netted a stoppage-time winner at Parkhead to complete a comeback from two goals down.

McGregor, who has twice played in Astana, said from the Scotland team hotel: “When you have been here you know exactly what the standard is like. There’s no easy games, especially in international football. You are playing against elite players and you can’t take anything for granted.

“It gives you a wee feel for it, you think back to those memories. I think it can help.

“It’s always tough when you come to these places, far and wide and time differences. We are trying to stick on UK time, trying to keep everything as normal as we can in terms of the preparation side.

“That will give us the best chance as possible of getting a result.

“The pitch is actually pretty good, the ball moves pretty well on it. Hopefully it will be OK and we can get the ball down and do our stuff.”

Scotland arrived to temperatures as low as minus 17C on Monday morning and it is not expected to break the freezing mark during the week.

But the roof is set to be closed in the stadium, making the game temperature about 11C.

On playing undercover, McGregor said: “It’s always a strange one. Obviously we will train in the stadium and get a feel for it so hopefully that will stand us in good stead.”

The Celtic player looks certain to start on Thursday after making his comeback from a calf injury in his team’s win over Dundee on Sunday.

“It was really important,” he said. “I went from pretty much doing nothing at the start of the week to playing 90 minutes.

“It’s a good one psychologically for me to do it. Getting flung in the deep end and coming out the other side, I know I will be OK.”

Callum McGregor has played twice in Astana for Celtic.