SWEDE dreams are made of this.

Mikael Lustig certainly hopes so. He is about to start a month of action which, if all goes his way, will see him book his place in the last 16 of the Champions League with the Hoops, and secure a spot at the World Cup finals with Sweden.

That combo would ensure 2014 is the biggest year in Lustig's career. And he could take a massive step towards bringing it to reality when he runs out against Portugal in Lisbon tomorrow in the first leg of the play-offs for the samba soccer spectacular.

With Champions League matches against AC Milan at Parkhead then Barcelona in the Nou Camp coming after the second leg of the play-off on Tuesday, there will hardly be time for the Celtic defender to draw breath.

But, after recovering from the latest flare up of the hip problem which has inhibited him for over a year, he is gasping for the action to start.

Sweden have drawn the short straw as Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal -runners-up to Russia in their qualifying group - were expected to march straight into next month's World Cup draw without the need for a diversion through the play-offs.

But Lustig is used to taking on the big boys at Champions League and international level, and is undaunted by the challenge of trying to join Hoops team-mates Emilio Izaguirre, Fraser Forster and Tom Rogic in booking his ticket to next summer's finals.

Georgios Samaras is also in play-off action tomorrow - for Greece against Romania.

That looks a much easier obstacle to clear, but Lustig knows any play-off tie is going to be tough.

He does have one regret, however, and said: "It would have been special to have been drawn against Greece because I would have been up against Sami. He would have been going down the left, so I'd have been marking him.

"But the draw means we both might qualify, and I'd like us both to be happy by the end of it."

Samaras joined Lustig on the sidelines for last weekend's SPFL Premiership match against Ross County at Dingwall after their exertions in midweek against Ajax.

However, such are the well-established recovery powers of the right-back that he is expected to be in his usual place for Sweden tomorrow.

With so much on the line, he is more than willing to tolerate the intense pain which his hip condition generates.

A lead to take into the second leg of the play-off next week would make him feel so much better, though Lustig knows this is going to be a massive test of physical and mental resolve. He said: "Portugal was the strongest team we could draw. That was frustrating but there is a little bit more pressure on them, so we can take advantage of that.

"On paper, they have a bigger team because they have players who play in the bigger leagues. But Sweden work well as a team."

Having helped Celtic successfully contest the play-offs for the Champions League, Lustig knows what it takes to win such winner-take-all ties.

Fine lines separate winners from losers and he said: "In a play-off it can come down to a little mistake, and that can be the difference between being in our out.

"So, for that reason, I would say our chances are 50/50."

He continued: "I'm going to face one of the best teams in the world. It helps to already have experience of playing big teams and having done so on a regular basis recently with Celtic.

"These are two of the biggest games of my career, and it would be hard to switch to games of this size if you were only playing domestic games.

"It's good I've been able to face big games in the Champions League, so, hopefully, I'm tuned in mentally."

Any advantage is eagerly seized upon, and Lustig believes the draw has already given the Swedes - who finished second in their group to Germany - an important one.

"The first leg is away, and that's what I would have chosen if it had been up to me," he said.

"It gives us the opportunity to get a good result over there and take it back to Sweden a few days later."

To achieve this goal, Lustig and Co know they must spike the guns of Balon D'Or contender, Ronaldo.

The Hoops defender has experience of facing the Real Madrid star and knows only too well what he can bring to the party.

"I played against him in a friendly when I was with Rosenborg," said Lustig. "We lost 4-0, but he didn't score.

"Hopefully, he won't again this time because the chances are I could be up against him, so I want to keep him quiet.

"It's nice to compete with the best players, but his form at Real Madrid recently has been frightening, so it will take a team effort to stop him. It won't just be down to me.

"We see it as a challenge, though, and we are not afraid."

Not with the rewards for the victors.

Lustig embraced playing at the 2012 European Championship finals with Sweden, but appreciates the World Cup finals will be so much bigger and better.

"It would be a dream to play in the World Cup, especially when it is in Brazil," he said.

"I was involved in Euro 2012, and it was a massive event.

"You get to play in big stadia against big players and in front of sell-out crowds.

"It's fantastic and no one would ever say they don't want to be part if it."