Weir relishes European exertions

10 March 2011 09:00
Skipper David Weir insists Rangers are still more than happy to juggle their domestic duties with the Europa League as they prepare to face PSV Eindhoven in the last 16 of the competition on Thursday. Walter Smith's men may have crashed out of the Scottish Cup to Celtic last week but are still in the race for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title and will contest their Old Firm rivals for the first silverware of the season this month, when the Glasgow giants meet in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final. Injury problems are already starting to mount for the Scottish champions, who should at least be able to call upon Kyle Lafferty for the first leg in Holland, after he recovered from tonsillitis. But, rather than see their continental outings as a burden, veteran defender Weir claims the European matches actually provide the players with a boost instead. "You just take every game as it comes and the European games give you a wee bit of relief," he said. "You go and play different teams, in different stadiums, and it freshens things up. All the players look forward to the European games. "We have had a reasonable record over the last few years and everyone enjoys getting away and playing against different teams."

Source: PA