Glasgow Warriors: We can beat any team in the world - Rob Harley

Rob Harley says Glasgow can make the knockout stages of the Champions Cup this season

Glasgow Warriors are capable of beating any team in the world, according to flanker Rob Harley.

Warriors kick-off their European Champions Cup campaign against Leicester at Scotstoun on Friday night.

"Especially at Scotstoun in front of our own fans we have that belief that we can beat any team in the world," Harley said.

"If teams have watched our games over the past few years they know Scotstoun is a really difficult place to play."

Pro12 side Glasgow have never previously made the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition and their assignment looks tough this season after being drawn in Pool 1 alongside Leicester, Munster and Racing 92.

After several near misses in recent seasons, Harley believes the team is ready to take that step and make it to the quarter-finals.

"It's an elite competition and no matter what group you're in you've got a tough group," he explained. "The last few seasons we've been going to the last day with potentially the chance to qualify for the latter stages and as a squad we feel that's the next step for us.

"It puts the emphasis on us to rise and improve ourselves, be better than we've been so far this season.

Gregor Townsend will leave Glasgow to take up the Scotland job next summer

"Europe is special. We're playing teams we don't normally get the chance to play. We're playing a famous European team in Leicester. It gives everyone that excitement and we're all excited as a squad to get the chance to play in these massive games.

"They've got a big forward pack. They're very good at the scrum and lineout-maul as well, so they're a threat there. They play an expansive style of rugby outside of that so they're dangerous in wide channels.

"They've got the potential to break teams open. I think that means we've got the potential - on the new pitch at Scotstoun - to have a very fast-paced game, probably a very entertaining game."

This campaign is head coach Gregor Townsend's last crack at European competition before he departs to take up the Scotland job next summer.

Harley says Townsend's impending exit does not alter the squad's mindset going into the competition.

"Our goals remain the same," he added. "We want to win the league and we've been knocking at the door of the knockout stages for Europe and as a squad we want to take that next step and be better than we have been in years past."