Sunderland made a good start to their Europa League campaign with a win over AZ Alkmaar
Enzo Le Fée believes Sunderland can do 'really well' in the Europa League this season and says the squad are determined to ensure this historic campaign is not just a one-off.
The attacking midfielder scored the club's first goal in 53 years at European level against AZ Alkmaar, shortly before it was confirmed that he had agreed a new, long-term contract at the club. It is set to be a demanding month as the Black Cats return to action against Brighton this weekend, and they will play nine games before the November international break.
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Le Fée says Sunderland are well aware of the importance of maintaining a good level of form in the Premier League but believes there is more than enough in the squad to compete on two front. The 26-year-old says it is an amazing achievement to be back competing at European level but wants it to be a regular occurrence for the club moving forward.
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"It means a lot to me because when I came here I had been playing in the Europa League and we were in the Championship, so this competition was far [away]," he said.
"After one season and a half, we came back here and with the history of the club, it's just amazing. They deserve it but also, they deserve to be here again next season and so we have to work because it will be tough, but I think we can do really well in this competition. Of course, the Premier League is also very important so we have to work for both but it shows the ambition of the club because now we've got a really good team, really good, talented players and everyone can start in both competitions. That's what we need to be competitive."
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Now one of the more established players in the squad, the Frenchman said he wanted to lead by example and continue to show the importance of enjoying his football.
He said: "I'm getting a bit old in this squad now! I've got a lot of experience so I can bring this to the team.
"We are a young team but we have six or seven guys who can help everyone with their experience, and I'm part of that. I think the way I can help is just to show everyone how important it is to enjoy playing football. When you enjoy something, then you can be really good. If you're not, it can be really difficult."
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