JAMES TAVERNIER hopes a Champions League bounce can inspire Rangers to find their form domestically as he prepares to live his European dream against Ajax.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side head into their Group A opener still smarting from the Old Firm defeat to Celtic that leaves them five points off the pace in the Premiership.
Rangers were humbled at Parkhead on Saturday and must raise their levels considerably if they are to earn a shock win over the Eredivisie leaders on their return to European action.
Tavernier has been through his fair share of low moments throughout his seven years at Ibrox and knows all too well the process involved in recovering from a derby defeat.
But the captain is confident there will be no domestic hangover when Van Bronckhorst's side stride out at the Johan Cruijff Arena and kick-off their group campaign.
"It is football and it never goes the way that you want it to," Tavernier said after Rangers followed up their 3-0 defeat at Parkhead in February with a damaging 4-0 reverse at the weekend. "It is obviously the manner of the goals we conceded.
"Our play was good but the manner of goals change the dynamics of the game and if we rectify that in the coming games and going forward in any game, we don't want to concede those types of goals and if we rectify that we will obviously be in a stronger position.
"I believe [a win here can help us show our best form domestically]. These games, they take care of themselves.
"It is an open game against better opponents respective to our league and we also want to get that momentum back again.
"We want to come away with a good result and then take hat i to the weekend against Aberdeen.
"I say that (that there is a fire in the belly) all the time, even when we win games and the performance hasn't been good enough.
"There is always fire there to rectify that and want to perform better and we demand that on the training pitch every day.
"We want to rectify what happened at the weekend and get back to the standard we know can get."
Rangers will need to produce their finest performance of the campaign if they are to get off and running in Group A on the night that Liverpool make the trip to face Napoli.
A memorable win over PSV Eindhoven a fortnight ago secured a place at this stage of the competition for the first time in 12 years.
And it will be a moment to savour for Tavernier as he prepares to lead out his side against the Dutch giants.
Tavernier said: “It’s a dream come true. Not just as a captain but as a player, too.
"It’s every kid’s dream when you play football, you watch Champions League games when you’re young, you hear the music.
"To be actually playing in it and to be captaining a side in it is a dream come true for a boy.
“Obviously the goals are something we all can definitely improve on. We conceded at the weekend, there’s no hiding away from that.
"That’s the thing about football you’re here to learn, and it’s something we have to learn moving forward, and I’m sure the boys will.
“The character of the team is strong, we have great experience in the team. Going forward I don’t see that being an issue.
“We played PSV and Feyenoord over here, but Ajax with its record, they are undefeated this [league] season. It will be a tough test.
"They’ve lost some good players but that’s why we want to be in this competition, to go toe to toe with the best teams in Europe.”
