RANGERS midfielder Niko Kranjcar has admitted the side’s shock European exit is hard to shake from their minds.

But the Croatian says they can prove critics wrong when the league season kicks off.

Rangers were given an unexpected month off from competitive football following their 2-0 Europa League defeat by Progres Niederkorn in Luxembourg but they returned to Ibrox on Saturday to record a 1-1 friendly draw against Marseille.

Kranjcar netted an equaliser with an impressive top-corner free-kick and is targeting three points against Motherwell at Fir Park on August 6 to continue the healing process.

He said: “Unfortunately the European result happened, but fortunately there are still two weeks before the season starts. It was a really difficult time for all of us as none of us believed we would be allowed to lose that game.

“I think it is still there deep down emotionally in us, and we are ready to prove some people wrong.”