Middag: Use Champions League As Motivation

TESSEL MIDDAG wants Rangers to use their Champions League experience as motivation to try win the title this season.

The Light Blues dropped out of the competition at the qualifying stage having suffered defeat to Arsenal in midweek before being beaten by Atletico Madrid in the third place play-off earlier today.

Speaking to RangersTV to reflect on the match and their experience this week overall, the midfielder said: “I think everyone enjoys the challenge of playing Champions League and I think we are also hungry to try and get into a different path this time.

“To give ourselves a slightly better chance of reaching the play-off rounds and ideally the group stage.

“That is definitely a motivation for us to try and win the league and as a bonus hopefully a slightly easier path into Champions League.

“However having said that it has been brilliant for us to be able to play against Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, two top sides with top players so we are also taking that challenge on board.”

The 31-year-old also spoke of the learning curves the team can take from this week as a whole, as she reflected on the display overall against the Liga F side.

She added: “It is just our level of acting needs to be a bit higher.

“Less time on the ball, you have to be less wasteful, myself included. I am not happy with my balls in the final third today I think we could have got a bit more out of that.

“That is the difference if we want to improve individually and as a team that is where we can grow.

“Obviously we played against really strong and fit opponents who are very strong in the counter attack so that is a lesson we can learn from those two games.

“You can see where the big differences are the fine margins between the top European international level and us at the moment.

“This is the level we want to go too; I think we got done in three transition moments.

“They are a very good football team; we lost it in those final moments. I am happy that we got up the park a little bit more compared to Wednesday's game.

“Which it makes more enjoyable to play in and enjoyable to watch hopefully for the Rangers fans anyway.

“You get some chances and ideally would have liked to take at least one.

“Overall I think we are standing here with a better feeling performance wise than after the game on Wednesday."


  

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