Graziano Pelle says that he and his Saints teammates cannot understand why some clubs don’t want to play in the Europa League.

The big striker is baffled by the opinion held by many Premier League clubs that the Europa League is a consolation prize not worth having as it wrecks the rest of your season.

Saints tonight play their second game in this season’s competition, as they take a commanding 3-0 advantage to Vitesse in Holland.

Pelle is delighted to be playing in the Europa League and shares none of the cynicism often associated with the competition.

He said: “Every time I always discuss this with my teammates when sometimes a club says they don’t want to play Europe competition. I don’t understand it.

“We work all year to go as high as possible and to reach the Europe competition is the best thing we can do and I am personally happy and all my teammates and as a club too.

“We always want to reach the highest positions possible and it is fantastic to be in this competition.”

One of the main worries for clubs is playing on a Thursday and a Sunday, but Pelle seems largely unconcerned.

“This is a really difficult thing because I never wake up in the morning and know how I am going to be feeling,” he reflected.

“We have expert staff behind us that work to have us always at the top performance and we just always have to try to do our best.

“I believe I prefer to play always and be involved in Europe competitions than be more rest and fight relegation.”

And he believes the attitude of the players is a reflection of the fans.

“I can understand them because for me, for the team, is something special.

“Imagine for some supporters that always support this team in all life and see them back in Europe competition must be really an amazing feeling.

“We have to try to do our best to make them more happy than they are now.”

Pelle is hoping to create some more happy memories tonight having scored against Vitesse in his last five outings against them, stretching back to his time with Feyenoord.

“In Holland I score many goals and Vitesse was one of the team in probably in the last four or five games I always score against them. I hope to increase this record,” he smiled.

“For a striker it’s always important to score.

“It’s part of my job and it’s nice to win and nice to score.

“We try to do again the same performance, even better”

“We knew that when we play two games it’s always important the first one especially at home not to receive a goal and to score more is possible.

“To score three goals was a great result but still after the game we are not going to celebrate before we get through.”