Celtic defender Mark Wilson was relieved to avoid the hazardous Champions League qualifiers which have thrown rivals Rangers into disarray.The Hoops retained their SPL title on the final day of last season and with that came automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League.

While Gordon Strachan's men enjoyed a relaxed build-up to the new campaign, Rangers were pitched into the second qualifying round of Europe's premier club competition which ended in sporting disaster when they lost to Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas on Tuesday.

The Ibrox club's European hopes are over for the season and a section of the support are calling for the head of manager Walter Smith.

Wilson, looking back at last season when Celtic qualified for the group stages of the Champions League only by dint of beating Spartak Moscow on penalties, welcomed the added benefit of being title holders.

"I'm quite glad we are automatic qualifiers," said the former Dundee United right-back. "It was quite exciting against Spartak and it was a great night but I wouldn't like to go back to that.

"Winning the league was obviously great in itself but when you know you have qualified for the group stages, it takes such a pressure off you.

"There is so much pressure on these qualifying games because there is so much money involved and so much enjoyment for the fans on Champions League nights.

"So to have a qualifier is very difficult and it's great to bypass it."

Despite the gloom which has enveloped Ibrox this week, Wilson played down the prospect of Celtic cantering to their fourth title in a row.

He said: "Rangers had a bad result the other night but obviously that's going to spur them on to do better this season and to try and win the league.

"To get a nice run in Europe is fantastic but our manager has always stated that the league is the number one target for us.

"The more you win, the more you want to win. Winning three is a fantastic feeling but winning four would obviously surpass that.

"We don't want to get ahead of ourselves but (winning the title for the fourth time in row) would be special and who knows where you can go from there.

"But it's important that you get a good start to the season and set ourselves up.

"I guess there is a wee bit more pressure on us but the players who are the club are strong personalities and they can deal with that.

"That's why we have been champions for three years and so hopefully we can apply it this year also."

Wilson, who has struggled with injury since joining the club in January 2006, is looking for an injury-free season and hopes his versatility gives him a better chance of pinning down a first-team place.

"I just want a run that doesn't break down in September or October and to be in and about the squad for the majority of the season," he said.

"I feel a lot stronger this pre-season and I'm feeling good going in to the season.

"There is Andreas Hinkel, Paul Caddis and Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe has just came back from injury, so there are four right-backs going for one spot which is pretty difficult.

"I've been playing left-back in a few pre-season games so I'm kind of putting pressure on Lee Naylor.

"I played my first 15 games for Celtic at left-back which was weird at first but you get used to it.

"Going back there again takes a bit of getting used to again but the more games you play the more confident you get."

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