HEARTS ARE BIG TARGET NOW

THOMAS BUFFEL knows Celtic have disappeared over the horizon while Rangers' season is lying shipwrecked.

But the Belgian insists his team must use Sunday's Old Firm clash as a life-raft and by clambering aboard they can still catch second-placed Hearts and claim a place in the Champions League qualifiers.

Buffel, who dropped to the bench as Rangers followed up their Scottish Cup exit by losing at Pittodrie on Wednesday night, is desperate to return for the Ibrox showdown.

And he called on his team-mates to make a massive push in the remaining games as they seek to claw back the eight-point deficit on the Tynecastle side.

He said: "It has been a difficult week because we have had two defeats and we are not really in a position to lose a game.

"It's easier for Celtic or Hearts to lose a game at this time and we cannot afford to drop more points.

"We don't have to look to Celtic, we have to look to Hearts and get ourselves points.

"In the last 10 games before the Hibs match we had good results so I don't think it's down to confidence. Players have to take more responsibility in the important weeks ahead.

"We have to pick ourselves up and show every player wants to play for Rangers."

Buffel certainly does. He wasn't best pleased at being benched at Pittodrie, even if he was left out to protect himself from damaging a hamstring. He said: "I spoke with the trainer and while I was in good form, my hamstrings were a bit tight the two games before. He did not want to take any risks and, with important games coming up, wanted to let some players play.

"If you are on a good run you want to play on but I can also understand wanting to have players ready for important games.

"As for Sunday, it's a choice the trainer is going to make but of course I will be disappointed if I don't come back in."

While the Champions League clash with Villarreal is looming large, Buffel insisted Rangers cannot afford to look beyond the visit of Celtic on Sunday.

He said: "The most important thing is even the second spot because that provides you for next year's Champions League.

"The only thing we can do now is forget past form. We have had two defeats, we have to see how we managed that but we don't have time."

Buffel believes his team must show more resolve, particularly in defence.

He added: "The main problem is as a team when things are not really going for us we lose goals while last year we just got stuck in and managed to draw or score once and that was enough. That is certainly something the trainer has to figure out."

Taken from the Daily Record