Brentford defender Nico Yennaris says the squad are confident they can start the coming campaign in the form they found at the end of last term.

Head coach Dean Smith’s men won seven of their last nine games last season – scoring 24 goals in the process – to claim a ninth placed Championship finish.

The Bees kicked off pre-season with a 2-1 defeat at Boreham Wood last Friday before beating Vfl Bochum 1-0 on Wednesday during their tour of Germany, thanks to a goal from Scott Hogan.

Fit again Lewis MacLeod netted last week before laying on Hogan’s strike a few days later.

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Brentford head to Huddersfield Town on the opening day and Yennaris believes the Terriers will feel the wrath of a well prepared squad looking to hit the ground running.

“It wasn’t the best performance against Vfl, but pre-season is about getting the rustiness out of your legs and finding your sharpness,” he said.

“Come the first game of the season – having had games like these – we will be fully prepared and go into that game fresh.

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“Hopefully, we’ll go into the season flying like we were at the end of last year.

“We take a lot of confidence from how we finished last season and together we are going into the new season with good spirits.”

The defeat at Boreham Wood marked the return to action of centre back Andreas Bjelland after close to a year on the sidelines recovering from a knee ligament injury.

And the Danish international believes he comes back better for the experience.

“It has been a horrible year and a long recovery,” he added.

“It was important for me to come back and be fit for pre-season.

“Hopefully, I am stronger from last year and it helped me develop some stuff in my game.

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“It is a new start under a new coach who doesn’t know me and hasn’t seen me play. I’m just pleased to be playing football again.”

Spanish youth international Sergi Canos, who was on loan at Griffin Park last term from Liverpool, sealed a four-year switch to Championship rivals Norwich City this week after turning down a new contract at Anfield.

“Carrow Road impressed me, I’ve seen videos of it and it looks an amazing atmosphere and I can’t wait to play there,” he said.

And 22-year-old defender Jack O’Connell, who had two years still to run on his Bees contract, joined League One Sheffield United last Friday on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The Bees next head to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night.