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Home Clubs Bwin Liga Portuguese Cup Champions League UEFA Cup National Team Portuguese Abroad Portsmouth Player Profiles Transfers/Rumours Sitemap Your Say/Opinion Links About/Contact Advertise with us	18 January 2007, by Sean Gillen Mendes aiming to push Portsmouth into Europe Midfielder speaks of “euphoria” at Fratton Park Portsmouth midfielder Pedro Mendes says the club are aiming to qualify for European competition this season after an impressive first half of the Premiership season. After finishing one place above the relegation zone last season, Pompey are currently sixth this term and, having not played in European competition since leaving Portugal, Mendes is anxious to finish in a UEFA Cup spot. “I feel nostalgic, I really do,” said the 27-year-old when asked of his ambition to play in Europe again. “This year there is a great euphoria around Portsmouth, and a huge desire on our part and on the part of those who manage the club to take the team into the UEFA Cup. That would be very good. We will see. Next season I hope to be there, competing in a UEFA competition.” Mendes has adapted well to the English game, becoming a hugely popular figure amongst the Fratton Park faithful since his arrival from Tottenham last January, and the Portuguese cites both the fans and the atmosphere as being a major attraction of English football. “They like everybody here. But I cannot say that they like me more or less,” he said. “The relationship between the Portsmouth fans and the players is very close. The fans like their players, the players try to repay this affection, and obviously, the fans are excited about everything that we have done this year. I can’t say I’m liked more or less. We are all the same.” Fantastic fans “The relationship of the English fans with the players is different. In Portugal, people know the player but sometimes they don’t approach you. Not here. Here they have no problem in approaching the player to take photos, to ask for autographs, to exchange a few words. It’s different.” “The environment is fantastic. You may have championships where the football is attractive, and more beautiful, but the English has a unique environment. The passion of the fans for football is great, as is the way they treat us.” Mendes is also very content with life off the pitch: “The area where I live is calm, it has a good beach, and it is a good place to raise my children. It is further from the training pitch than if we lived in the city and much further from the stadium, but it’s worth the trip every day.” Related article: Mendes admits Portugal frustration Home . Clubs . Liga . Portuguese Cup . Champions League UEFA Cup . National Team . Portuguese Abroad . Player Profiles © Copyright of PortuGoal.net 2003-2007. Design addSymbol	Mendes fires screamer before falling to injury Europe return the target for Mendes Mendes strikes as Pompey go fourth Mendes: Redknapp the key behind success Mendes frustration at phantom penalty Spectacular debut goal for Fernandes Fernandes and Douala sign season-long loans Mendes: "The worst moment of my career"

Portsmouth

18 January 2007, by Sean Gillen

Mendes aiming to push Portsmouth into Europe

Midfielder speaks of “euphoria” at Fratton Park

Portsmouth midfielder Pedro Mendes says the club are aiming to qualify for European competition this season after an impressive first half of the Premiership season.

After finishing one place above the relegation zone last season, Pompey are currently sixth this term and, having not played in European competition since leaving Portugal, Mendes is anxious to finish in a UEFA Cup spot.

“I feel nostalgic, I really do,” said the 27-year-old when asked of his ambition to play in Europe again.

“This year there is a great euphoria around Portsmouth, and a huge desire on our part and on the part of those who manage the club to take the team into the UEFA Cup. That would be very good. We will see. Next season I hope to be there, competing in a UEFA competition.”

Mendes has adapted well to the English game, becoming a hugely popular figure amongst the Fratton Park faithful since his arrival from Tottenham last January, and the Portuguese cites both the fans and the atmosphere as being a major attraction of English football.

“They like everybody here. But I cannot say that they like me more or less,” he said.

“The relationship between the Portsmouth fans and the players is very close. The fans like their players, the players try to repay this affection, and obviously, the fans are excited about everything that we have done this year. I can’t say I’m liked more or less. We are all the same.”

Fantastic fans

“The relationship of the English fans with the players is different. In Portugal, people know the player but sometimes they don’t approach you. Not here. Here they have no problem in approaching the player to take photos, to ask for autographs, to exchange a few words. It’s different.”

“The environment is fantastic. You may have championships where the football is attractive, and more beautiful, but the English has a unique environment. The passion of the fans for football is great, as is the way they treat us.”

Mendes is also very content with life off the pitch: “The area where I live is calm, it has a good beach, and it is a good place to raise my children. It is further from the training pitch than if we lived in the city and much further from the stadium, but it’s worth the trip every day.”

Related article: Mendes admits Portugal frustration