www.football-live.co.nr

Barcelona's Deco
Deco has good memories of facing Celtic

Venue: Celtic Park
Date: Wed 20 Feb
Round: Last 16
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
BBC coverage: BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio 5 Live

Barcelona midfielder Deco does not think Celtic will be as defensive as Rangers when the teams meet in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Catalans played the Ibrox men twice in the group stages, drawing 0-0 in Glasgow before winning the return 2-0.

But Portuguese playmaker Deco says Celtic are better than their Old Firm rivals.

"Celtic are a stronger team than Rangers, they will take more risks when going forward," he said.

Celtic knocked Barca out of the Uefa Cup in 2004 and held the La Liga side on their own patch in the Champions League the following season.

We have come here to win and as long as we control the ball then we will be fine

Barcelona midfielder Deco

But that same season, Deco scored Barcelona goal in a 3-1 victor ... Read more »

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry
Henry & co have been winning the hard way this season
"At the moment we're showing heart to get through matches."

Scots are well used to their football described in terms of 'heart', 'grit' and 'fight'.

However, these are the words not of Gordon Strachan, Walter Smith or Jimmy Calderwood, but of Thierry Henry.

The phrase 'winning ugly' is not normally a characteristic associated with one of Europe's most gifted teams.

Yet the French striker felt this best summed up his Barcelona team's way of grinding out narrow victories this year in La Liga.

The Catalans are only five points behind great rivals Real Madrid, but are eking out some unconvincing wins.

The Spanish press writes of the current team's 'great lack of goals', and the sublimely talented Lionel Messi has yet to break his duck in 2008.

But their public is ambivalent as to whether the title is already a lost cause, especially because of the way they are und ... Read more »