Celtic cite stopping Kaka as key

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

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell says his side need to defend as a unit to stop AC Milan's Kaka in a crucial Champions League tie on Tuesday at the San Siro.

Celtic need a point to secure their progress to the knockout stages or hope Shakhtar Donetsk fail to beat Benfica.

Kaka is the new European Footballer of the Year and Caldwell said: "We've got to find a strategy as a team to stop him and keep the ball away from him."

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan said: "We will go out try to win."

Media conference: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan Media conference: Celtic defender Gary Caldwell

Celtic have picked up maximum points at home during this campaign but their away form has let them down in Europe in recent years.

The Scottish champions have only picked up one point in 14 Champions League group matches away from Glasgow.

And they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 32 competitive away fixtures.

"As a player, you don't really think about that," said Caldwell.

"Having read the stats, it has been too long since we kept a clean sheet away and, as defenders, we have got to do something about it."

But Celtic fans can take heart from Milan's home record this season, which has seen them without a win from seven league games.

However, the reigning champions of Europe have beaten Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk on home soil in defence of their crown.

"There is no scientific formula to football and, if there was one, I would change it to let us win away," said Strachan.

"Sven-Goran Eriksson and Manchester City have a remarkable home form, but are poor away.

"Milan have been playing better away than they have at home in the league.

"Two of the best coaches in the world cannot find a formula for winning away or, in Milan's case, at home. And I am not in the same league as those two."

This will be the fourth meeting between the sides this year, Milan having dumped Celtic out of the last 16 stage of last season's tournament with an extra-time goal.

Both legs of the previous tie ended 0-0 after 90 minutes, while Celtic were 2-1 winners at Celtic Park in October.

"We are in a situation now where my players don't have any fear of games like this one," continued Strachan.

"It is a challenge and my players enjoy playing against the best.

"We have been in adversity recently, but we handled that and this is now another challenge for us to handle.

"We have been tested, have accepted these tests and done a good job."

If Celtic were to lose and Shakhtar beat Benfica, the Ukrainians would progress due to a better head-to-head record against Strachan's side.

And the manager aims to get his players focused on their game, and not what is happening elsewhere.

"It is hard to ignore it with these huge scoreboards flashing up the results," he said.

"We will deal with our game and I will just ask my players to go out and win it."

Source: BBC Sport