Southampton manager Ronald Koeman wants his players to embrace the experience of participating in European competition.

Koeman has led the Saints to their first appearance in European football after a gap of 12 years and wishes to build on this progress by getting through the play-off stage of the Europa League.

Speaking in his pre-match conference ahead of Thursday's first leg clash with FC Midtjylland, Koeman said: "Of course, it's always different. I can't compare the Europa League to the Champions League. It's more special, but for us, for Southampton, it looks like the Champions League what we have to play.

"That's a good feeling and we do everything for that. We are looking forward to having the support what we had against Vitesse at home. It needs to be a special evening for everybody.

"Maybe for the big clubs they like to play Champions League and they don't like the Europa League, but for us, for everybody, for the players, for the fans, it's a new situation and it's a good feeling.

"Normally as a player I liked to play two games every week. Two games a week means you feel you're really a football player and a football player on a high level. We like to be part of the high level in football."