Bordeaux midfielder Vladimir Smicer said he hopes his side can push for a place in the UEFA Champions League, taking advantage of their current good form in the French Ligue 1. The Czech Republic ace is surprised to see Bordeaux go beyond all expectations this season. "I really didn't expect it, it is a nice surprise. I didn't expect we would be so high in the league," Smicer was quoted as saying by Sky Sports on Wednesday. "No-one believed we could be so high, even our own fans, but as we get closer and closer their support is getting bigger and bigger. They feel the job could be done, but we are still far away from there, and there is lots of hard work to do yet," he added. Smicer played a pivotal rule in Liverpool's UCL final match last season as he scored a goal against AC Milan in the final in Istanbul. The 33-year-old spoke about the experience of winning a title with Liverpool in the most prestigious European competition. "People know it, not many players who have won the Champions League play in the French league, but it is not an advantage, maybe the opposite, as everyone expects more from you," he said. Bordeaux are in second place in the French league table with 53 points, six points adrift of leaders Lyon, who have a match in hand.
