Champions League, Group D
Date: Tuesday, 4 December
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Venue: San Siro
Listen: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland (810 MW) Updates: BBC Sport website and mobile If you open up against AC Milan on their home ground, they will crucify you. Luckily for Celtic, they travel to the reigning European champions for their final Champions League group match on Tuesday knowing that they do not have to open up. A draw would take Gordon Strachan's side through to the knockout stages of the competition - and that would be a great achievement. The fact the Milan have already sealed their place in the last 16 and require only a draw to ensure they finish top of Group D works massively in Celtic's favour. However, Celtic must still keep it very tight and be really solid. That is the most important aspect when you are playing against big teams with big players. It is vital that Celtic go through, no matter what happens in the match and no matter how bad the match is - even if it is a mind-numbing 0-0 draw with no chances for either team. Remember, Celtic are away from home and facing one of the best teams in the world, who boast some excellent players - including Brazilian superstar Kaka, who has just been crowned European footballer of the year. Even if Celtic needed to win the game, their approach would not be any different. For the first 60 minutes it is crucial to be wary and not to give anything away. Then after an hour, you can look to counter-attack and hit on the break. But in this circumstance, Celtic do not have to throw caution to wind and try to win it.
Date: Tuesday, 4 December
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Venue: San Siro
Listen: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland (810 MW) Updates: BBC Sport website and mobile If you open up against AC Milan on their home ground, they will crucify you. Luckily for Celtic, they travel to the reigning European champions for their final Champions League group match on Tuesday knowing that they do not have to open up. A draw would take Gordon Strachan's side through to the knockout stages of the competition - and that would be a great achievement. The fact the Milan have already sealed their place in the last 16 and require only a draw to ensure they finish top of Group D works massively in Celtic's favour. However, Celtic must still keep it very tight and be really solid. That is the most important aspect when you are playing against big teams with big players. It is vital that Celtic go through, no matter what happens in the match and no matter how bad the match is - even if it is a mind-numbing 0-0 draw with no chances for either team. Remember, Celtic are away from home and facing one of the best teams in the world, who boast some excellent players - including Brazilian superstar Kaka, who has just been crowned European footballer of the year. Even if Celtic needed to win the game, their approach would not be any different. For the first 60 minutes it is crucial to be wary and not to give anything away. Then after an hour, you can look to counter-attack and hit on the break. But in this circumstance, Celtic do not have to throw caution to wind and try to win it.
Instead, if they have managed to keep things even, they can protect what they have got. I think the tactics might be different if the game was being played at Celtic Park because the big crowd, baying for blood, might affect the players and make them feel committed to trying to win the game. Celtic's away record in Champions league football has not been great and they have been beaten in both their games on their travels this season at Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica. It is their home form that has taken them to the brink of qualification. But it is worth remembering that Celtic defeated Milan in October, so they have showed they have good players and that they can compete, and that is the most important thing. And, of course, Milan only need a draw to win the group. Sometimes in Italy you can tell a game is going to be goalless after just 10 minutes. And I hope this will be one of those games for Celtic's sake. Excitement is not what is wanted from this game, from Celtic's point of view. There will be plenty of time and opportunity for that in the latter stages of the Champions League - so the aim is simply to get there. And if they do, it would be tremendous boost for Celtic, for Gordon Strachan and once again for Scottish football. Alan Hansen was talking to Ian Hughes
Source: BBC Sport
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