Celtic gear up for Aalborg clash

Celtic trained in the Aalborg Stadium on Monday night in preparation for their Champions League Group E clash with the Danes tomorrow.

Gordon Strachan knows a draw will keep alive hopes of a place in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup but Celtic must win away from home in the group stage for the first time to retain any ambition of progressing to the knock-out phase of the Champions League for the third year running. That scenario would also require Manchester United to beat Villarreal, who visit Celtic Park for a potential decider in matchday six next month.

Celtic were held to a 0-0 draw by Aalborg earlier in the campaign when Barry Robson missed a penalty. The clubs are locked together on two points after Celtic's 1-1 draw against Manchester United and Aalborg's 2-2 share of the spoils with Villarreal in the last round of fixtures.

Both teams warmed up for the game with domestic victories at the weekend. Celtic beat St Mirren 3-0 to record an 11th straight win in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League while Aalborg - with Allan Kuhn in temporary charge following the departure of Bruce Rioch - won 3-0 at struggling Vejle but are sitting seventh out of 12 in the table.

Celtic boss Strachan said: "We try and attack everywhere we go so it will be no different and we will play the game as we see it. I watched the tape of Aalborg against Villarreal - they gave them a good game and they are a very good side who are playing well at the moment."