Strachan bullish about Celtic's chances

AC Milan  v Celtic:Celtic manager Gordon Strachan believes the Scottish champions retain a realistic chance of progressing to the quarter-finals against AC Milan at the San Siro this evening despite being held to a scoreless draw at Parkhead a fortnight ago.

"It won't be a night to carry passengers," said a bullish Strachan yesterday. "If someone sets a standard of seven out of 10 and that's our lowest mark, then the rest will be up there. If one drops to four or five, then automatically it drags the others down. Milan are a better team than us, I think we all agree on that. They have better players. We have been lucky this season to play some world famous teams; Manchester United, Benfica, Milan - it has been fantastic. But of course there now comes a point where we want to win."

Strachan has a fondness for statistics, and needs no reminding his side have never achieved an away victory in this competition. Yet perhaps the manager will seek solace from the fact that the one time Celtic avoided defeat on their Champions League travels was in the similarly salubrious Camp Nou.

Celtic opted not to train at the San Siro yesterday, Strachan claiming a number of his players "could do with the rest", before adding: "There are arguments where you can test the ball, test the lines, the grass. We have done that at other grounds and lost 3-0."

The manager must decide whether to play Thomas Gravesen in a five-man midfield or deploy Kenny Miller in support of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - the only certain starter alongside the captain, Neil Lennon - in attack.

Defender Stephen McManus has shaken off a groin injury to make the squad. McManus' availability is a much-needed boost for Strachan with fellow centrebacks Steven Pressley cup-tied and Bobo Balde (broken leg) and Gary Caldwell (knee) injured.

Full back Mark Wilson has recovered from a knee injury but midfielder Paul Hartley, like Pressley, played for Hearts in the qualifying round and is ineligible.

Milan have gone three successive European matches without scoring. The attacking threat of Carlo Ancelotti's men, who sit sixth in Serie A, has been severely blunted by the sale of Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea; Ricardo Oliviera, Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino have scored only 17 goals between them in this campaign.

Ancelotti reiterated yesterday that his team were not favourites.

"We are not," said Ancelotti. "My biggest concern is that Celtic can create lots of problems for us. They are a physical side, good at set-pieces and very dangerous in the air.

"We have the quality to win but we need to prove it on the pitch. I expect my team to control the play."

Ancelotti believes his team will face a bigger battle than back in the 2004 when his side comfortably beat Celtic 3-1 in the group stages.

"This Celtic side has more quality and better technique than back in 2004," he said. "We must play as well as we can, with confidence and belief for all 90 minutes.

"One goal may be sufficient but maybe not, perhaps we may concede one and react."

It remains to be seen how many Celtic fans will be present to see the match. Just under 5,000 have official tickets and despite club exhortations to remain in Glasgow another 5,000 are expected in Milan tonight. Reports have suggested many have been able to purchase tickets directly from the host club.

Whether the police eject Scottish fans sitting in areas not designated for them remains to be seen, but there appears little prospect of trouble between Milan and Celtic followers, who have mixed openly in the past.