CELTIC got probably the best draw possible when they were paired with Inter Milan in the last 32 of the Europa League.

February's games against the Italian giants isn't only a nostalgic tie in terms of just who the opposition is, but it is a double-header that is comparable enough to anything the Champions League would have thrown up in terms of glamour, excitement and huge commercial interest.

It is amazing to think the teams haven't met in a competitive game since that European Cup semi-final back in 1972; I remember that dramatic match because I was gutted to miss it.

I had a hamstring problem I had picked up in the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Hearts and, in the haste to try and get me right in time for the game against Inter Milan, I actually ended up aggravating the problem and being out for longer than was originally expected.

Both games against the Italians were tight, goal-less draws in both legs before it went to penalties and, of course, Dixie Deans was the only one to miss his kick.

Had we made it to the final it would have been Celtic's third European Cup final appearance in six seasons, having beaten Inter in 1967 and going down to Feyenoord in 1970.

As Celtic prepare to meet the Italians again, you would have to say there is a massive, massive gap now between the two leagues and where they are in terms of their stature within the game.

Yes, Milan are struggling domestically this season, but the tie is still a long way off and I'm sure that with the resources at Roberto Mancini's disposal, they may well be in a position to add to their squad before they come up against Celtic.

They have time to consolidate and prepare for the game - but so do Ronny Deila's men. And on paper, this game is as good as they come. It

is not impossible to get past them - nothing is impossible in football and in a one-off tie. But the Hoops do need to quickly get their act together at the back.

Like every other observer, the obvious thing that needs attention before the game against the Serie A side is the defence. There needs to be a significant improvement on that side of things because that has really been shown up in the Europa League games and Champions League qualifiers that have already been played this season.

The individual and collective mistakes which have been made defensively need to be corrected. I also think that, as obvious as it sounds, playing a game away from home in Europe is an entirely different thing to playing at home.

That sounds very straightforward, but what I mean is that there is a necessary amount of caution you need to adopt when playing in European competition on your travels. It isn't easy to go abroad and get a strong result, but it is vital that you always err on the side of caution.

My preference at the back would be to see Charlie Mulgrew in there. I think he is best suited to that position; he has been comfortable there and I don't envisage that Virgil van Dijk will leave in this current transfer window. That defensive pairing is probably the strongest available.

But much could depend on just what comings and goings there may be in January, and what changes to the squad may take place.

I did always tend to think that it gave you the upper hand if you played the first leg away from home and then went on to your own turf knowing exactly what you had to do, but all Celtic can do now is make sure they try and press home some kind of advantage and then defend it with their everything they've got in Milan.

It has given a huge surge of excitement to the club, as well as to Scottish football, and a game like this is something that attracts all sorts of interest in the game.

As it is, it could be an exciting month for the club with the Old Firm League Cup semi-final a few weeks before the game against Milan and, if they were to get a result against Rangers, then the momentum could still be there going into this tie.

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