PEDRO MENDES believes Rangers will be heading into the new campaign with far less pressure on them having been crowned Scottish champions.

The Ibrox side ended a three-year wait for the SPL title when they pipped Celtic to the crown.

Walter Smith's men now have the added bonus of Champions League football to look forward.

However, Mendes is aware of just how much pressure the players would have been under heading into another season if Celtic were still the dominating force.

"It's more enjoyable being champions, that's for sure," he said.

"The pressure of not being champions for three or four years is not there any more.

"There are other things that will happen this season, like Champions League football.

"So it's good to be champions and to have other competitions to look forward to."

Rangers are likely to head into the new campaign without midfielder Barry Ferguson, who is on the verge of a move to Birmingham.

The Ibrox club have accepted a bid of £1million for the 31-year-old, who was today in the Midlands undergoing a medical ahead of wage talks.

But midfielder Mendes knows the supporters will still demand success.

"We can't change our expectations and our situation," he said.

"We can't go into games saying never mind what happens, we can't afford to think like that.

"Expectations are always high and they are always there, otherwise we are losing 1-0 before we are on the pitch."

Asked his targets for the new season, Mendes said: "The main thing is the team targets.

"We want to repeat what we achieved last season and we have a fantastic bonus of the Champions League."