Source: Team_Talk
Mendes: SPL win would be so sweet
Unlike most of his team-mates, Mendes knows how it feels to lift a league championship trophy, having been a winner with Porto back in 2004.
But the 30-year-old claims that was a cakewalk compared to what he has been through since moving to Ibrox from Portsmouth last summer.
He said: "I only spent one year at Porto and, in that season, we were on top for the whole campaign before we became champions.
"Now I'm having to come from behind to win and we thought it would be close in this way.
"We expected the teams to be neck and neck towards the end.
"But we are focused, taking one game at a time and we know what we have to do to win the championship.
"There's a different type of game and approach in Scotland compared to what I was used to in Portugal. But the pressure is the same and that's important.
"When I was at Porto, it was just like it is at Rangers and we had to win every game."
Rangers have trailed Celtic for most of the season, and at one point were seven points adrift of their arch-rivals.
But they go into the final round of fixtures before the split just a point behind.
Mendes continued in Rangers News: "When I came to Rangers, my main aim was to win the league and everyone here has a real desire to do that.
"We are trying hard and at this moment we are sitting in second, which is not ideal because we want to be first.
"But there is still a long way to go. There are six games left and plenty of points to go for, not to mention one more game with Celtic.
"Success tastes better when it's hard to get and hopefully we'll be able to enjoy ourselves at the end of the season as it's what happens then that people will remember."
Whatever the outcome, Mendes is relishing being involved in such a thrilling title race.
"It's great to be involved in something like this," he said. "There's always entertainment when you're up at the right end of the table.
"You set out your goals at the start of the season and in Rangers' case, their main target was to win the league.
"At the moment, everything remains wide open and we're still in a good position to do that so these are exciting times at the club."
With the final Old Firm derby of the season still to play, Mendes knows if Rangers win all their matches, they will be champions for the first time in four years.
He said: "Being first or second during the year is not a big thing for me because it doesn't count for anything. Finishing first at the end does.
"The main thing with regards to us sitting in second place just now is that we keep winning our matches and keep in touch with Celtic.
"There's no need for us to be too concerned if they are winning some games 4-0 and we're winning by one goal.
"You just have to look at how many points we are getting. Last week, we played two teams battling for their lives and a third pushing for the top six but we won each time.
"We were more than happy with that. I don't mind if we win 1-0 or 2-1 as long as we eventually get past Celtic then stay there."
He added: "It is hard as we're at the stage of the season where everybody is playing for something. Falkirk and St Mirren are trying to avoid finishing last, whereas Motherwell and Hibs are going for the top six.
"Just as we have had some tough games, there are more of them ahead but we're focused and relishing the challenge.
"The one thing that must remain consistent is that we keep winning, which we are."
