WHEN it comes to the Champions League, omens are eagerly observed in perchance they might provide any kind of confidence boost.

Which is why AC Milan's travails in Serie A are of such interest to everyone at Celtic.

Sure, manager Neil Lennon has repeated ad naseum his players should disregard the fact Massimo Allegri's players have taken just 14 points from their opening 13 games, leaving them 20 adrift of the top of the table and at the mercy of their disenchanted fans.

Lennon's warning is that Milan will come good in the championship, but, for now, are focusing their injury- ravaged resources on qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League.

However, the last time Milan went five league games without a victory was back in the autumn of 2007.

That also happened to be the last time they travelled to play Celtic in Glasgow.

Like this time, they boarded the flight having been held 1-1 at home, back then by Catania, on Saturday by Genoa.

And they were handed a 2-1 defeat at Parkhead, with goals from Stephen McManus and Scott McDonald, Kaka netting for the Rossoneri.

That gave the Hoops three points which helped Gordon Strachan's side join Milan in progressing to the knock-out stages of the competition.

Can history repeat itself? Well, it certainly won't in terms of both Celtic and Milan marching through to the last 16.

With Barcelona already having secured one of the golden tickets, it will be one or the other - unless Ajax come up on the rails to pip both.

Whatever the final placings in Group H, and they are currently sitting according to seeding, Celtic will know they have already spurned excellent opportunities to put themselves in control of their own destiny.

The defeat in the San Siro on match day one left them disappointed, but not dejected as they played well enough to believe the future looked bright.

However, on reflection, Milan were vulnerable - as subsequent results in the San Siro have shown - and, like their shooting on the night, the Hoops missed when they should have struck gold.

Likewise in Amsterdam at the start of this month when their poorest performance in the past two seasons allowed a gilt-edged opportunity to eliminate Ajax from what has become a complex qualification puzzle slipped through their fingers.

Given what happened when Celtic played in Milan and failed to turn up in Amsterdam, the fact they are still in contention is to their credit.

But, there can be no more reasons for regret. From this moment on, the credentials they present must be beyond reproach and without weakness.

Lennon will emphasise this again around 7.40 tonight before sending out his players to do what is necessary to send the group into the final round of matches.

He said: "The Amsterdam game has put us in a difficult position and put more emphasis on winning this game.

"We know what's at stake."

Plenty of potential rewards, financially, but also in terms of not allowing momentum and progress made in the past couple of years to be thrown into reverse.

Celtic make their big money from taking part in the group stage.

But Lennon demands other positive returns from players in who he has invested so much faith.

And, despite admitting this year's group is tougher than the one they emerged from 12 months ago, the manager knows they should be sitting on more than three points.

Never before in their history have they finished anywhere other than bottom of the group when they have had only three points after game four.

But, making history is something Lennon likes to do, and will extol his players join him in the supreme effort which is required.

He is considering starting Derk Boerrigter to help inject the pace he believes can ruffle Milan.

And, if James Forrest is fit to rampage down the other flank, it will be a bold formation.

Kris Commons has shown the strength of character to refocus after being the victim of a burglary and car theft, and will again be invited to play a pivotal role against the Italians.

But, everyone selected will have to play to their very best because Lennon is wary of a Milan side who, on the outside, appear to be in turmoil.

He does not rate them as highly as Barcelona or even Ajax in terms of passing ability, but he does have huge respect for the individual talent of the likes of Kaka and Mario Balotelli.

"Milan will come here with their own incentives, and, on the counter-attack, they are very good," warned the Celtic manager.

Lennon's main concern, however, is how his own men play and he said: "The fact it is probably win or bust for us, in terms of the competition, may give the players that extra oomph going into the game."