Celtic seeking home help

After reaching the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time, Celtic FC's hopes of progressing further appear to hang on securing a positive result in their first leg against AC Milan.

• The Scottish champions may have never won away in the UEFA Champions League but a record of nine wins in 12 home matches means they should not be short of confidence at Celtic Park, even against opponents with the European pedigree of six-time winners Milan.

• Celtic reached the UEFA Champions League's last 16 at the fourth attempt by finishing runners-up in Group F. They could even afford the luxury of losing their last group match on 6 December, 3-1 at FC København where Jiří Jarošík struck a late consolation.

• By then the job was already done, with Shunsuke Nakamura's free-kick earning the 1-0 win over Manchester United FC on Matchday 5 that took Celtic through. Their earlier fixtures brought home victories against København (1-0) and Benfica (3-0) and away losses to United (2-3) and Benfica (0-3).

• Milan also lost their final group match – 2-0 at home to LOSC Lille Métropole - having already tied up first place in Group H. Carlo Ancelotti's men had previously collected victories against AEK Athens FC (3-0) and RSC Anderlecht (1-0 away and 4-1 at home) while drawing at Lille (0-0) and losing at AEK (0-1). Kaká was their star performer, his five goals placing him joint-top of the tournament's scoring chart.

• Milan won the sides' first encounter in the 1968/69 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-finals. After a goalless draw at the San Siro, Piero Prati's 12th-minute goal in Glasgow secured a 1-0 aggregate success and Milan went on to lift the trophy.

• Milan also saw off Celtic en route to the final in 2004/05. Late strikes from Filippo Inzaghi (89 minutes) and Andrea Pirlo (90+1) earned the Rossoneri a 3-1 home success in the group stage in September 2004. A subsequent goalless draw at Celtic on the final matchday consigned the hosts to fourth place in the section – with Milan top.

• Overall Milan have won six and drawn twice in ten games against Scottish sides, although their record in Scotland is mixed with two wins, one draw and two defeats.

• Celtic's most memorable encounters with Italian opponents have come against Milan's neighbours, FC Internazionale Milano. Jock Stein's team beat Inter 2-1 in the 1966/67 European Cup final but in 1971/72 they suffered semi-final heartache, losing 5-4 on penalties at Celtic Park following two 0-0 draws. Overall, though, Celtic's home record against Italian sides is strong with four wins, two draws and that one defeat by Milan in 1968/69.

• Celtic's Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was in the PSV Eindhoven team beaten by Milan in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Milan's Gennaro Gattuso, meanwhile, played in five 'Old Firm' derbies for former club Rangers FC against Celtic in 1997/98 - winning three, drawing one and losing one.

• The return match will be played in Milan on Wednesday 7 March.