Perched on a hilltop with spectacular views over Barcelona, the Montjuic Olympic Stadium is as good a place as any to harbour lofty ambition.

The Scottish Claymores open their NFL Europe League season against reigning champions Barcelona Dragons tomorrow night with a young side packed with promise but also burdened with the impetuosity that youth brings.

Coach Jim Criner is hoping his team can mature fast as the scheduling has presented the Claymores with the most difficult of starts.

An opening away fixture on the only turf they have not won a match on is followed closely by a trip to Amsterdam Admirals.

Criner has been robbed of time to prepare his squad due to bad weather at training camp in Atlanta and injuries have also taken their toll with Glasgow-born receiver Scott Couper missing out tomorrow.

But the coach believes the harmony within the squad which was evident in training camp can go a long way to giving the Claymores a winning season.

''Any time that you have a team sequestered as you do in our situation where they all live together for a long period of time, it's so important to be able to get along together, play together and help each other out,'' he pointed out.

''These guys have done an excellent job in doing that and I'm really pleased with how that part has gone.

''It has enabled us to make good progress on getting our offence and defence installed and being able to get all the special teams stuff in when we needed to. It's been a great workout, even better than our 1996 group.''

Criner has brought back nine players from the team that won the World Bowl two years ago and could yet bring back offensive lineman Randy Bierman who is recovering from injury.

Quarterback Jim Ballard is the key and also returning from 1996 are tight end Willy Tate, guard Purvis Hunt, defensive ends John de Witt and Bryan Proby and national players Robert Flickenger, Emmett Waldron, Scott Couper and Ben Torriero.

Criner hopes to prove there is life after Siran Stacy, who rushed into the league record books over the past three seasons but who has not returned, and the offence is likely to be more balanced.

He has been impressed with his group of receivers and while admitting there is not a stand-out like Sean LaChapelle or Yo Murphy, believes that Ballard has more options to throw to.

Running back Carey Bender, at just 5ft 8in, worked alongside Ballard at the Buffalo Bills and caught the eye in training camp. If he can take that form into the regular season, he will be another major weapon for the Claymores.

Standing tall in the defensive line is another Buffalo Bill, Mike Rockwood who, at 6ft 11in and 340lb, is the tallest player in the league and has been the tallest player in the NFL for the past two years.

New defensive co-ordinator Myrel Moore has put a new defence in place which will get an early test tomorrow.

The kicking unit this season could hardly be more diverse. The Claymores have a bare-footed kicker Jon Baker allocated from the Miami Dolphins, an

Austrialian Rules football-trained punter in David Wing and two players brought up on Scottish rugby, Gary Parker and Ben

Torriero.

Baker, who boasts of once having killed a rattlesnake with his bare hands, is looking forward to his first taste of the European league tomorrow.

''Camp was good and I'm feeling good about my kicking, which is the important thing. The kicking unit is quite tight and we all get on well together which really helps keep us going,'' he said.

Initially, Parker had resigned himself to missing the gridiron this year due to his heavy rugby commitments but, after missing training camp, the Claymores have been able to accommodate him. ''There are not many Scots who can say they've played American Football at a high standard,'' he enthused.

''You're surrounded by NFL-class players, it's popular in America and it's on Sky TV and watched all over the world.

''You are always looking to be involved in events like this. Anyone who tells you they're involved in professional sport for fun is telling lies because I hate it if I'm not winning or I've had a bad game.

''I enjoy the atmosphere and the best buzz I've had was last year against Rhein Fire when I kicked in front of a crowd of 30,000.''

The last time the Claymores played in Barcelona, they were humbled 46-18 and it is something Criner does not believe has any relevance tomorrow.

''It's never been mentioned or talked about,'' he stressed, ''These guys are more concerned about what happened when we scrimmaged against them in training camp. ''Our guys have a great deal of pride and want to give a good account of themselves.''

Barcelona have already beaten the England Monarchs 12-0 in an exhibition game in Pamplona last week but their coach Jack Bicknell is reading no significance into past results.

''I didn't mention the fact we won the World Bowl last season to the players in training camp,'' he said, ''This is largely a new group of players and everyone knows that every team believes they can go home with a World Bowl ring.

''We are just focused on winning the opening game against Scotland.''

The 200th game in the history of the league takes place at Dusseldorf's Rheinstadion tonight when Rhein Fire take on Amsterdam Admirals to kick off the new season.

April 5: at Barcelona Dragons; April 12: at Amsterdam Admirals; April 19: v Rhein Fire (Murrayfield, 3pm); April 26: at England Monarchs (Birmingham); May 3: v Barcelona Dragons (Murrayfield, 3pm); May 9: at Rhein Fire; May 17: v England Monarchs (Murrayfield, 3pm); May 24: v Frankfurt Galaxy (Murrayfield, 3pm); May 31: at Frankfurt Galaxy; June 7: v Amsterdam Admirals (Firhill, 3pm); June 14: World Bowl (Frankfurt).