Rossoneri defeat still gnaws at Raţ

Răzvan Raţ hopes FC Shakhtar Donetsk can avoid "making the same mistakes" against AC Milan as in their 4-1 defeat at the San Siro when the teams meet again on Tuesday.

Standards slip
The left-back has played all 90 minutes of Shakhtar's three UEFA Champions League Group D games, but his side fell short of the standards set in victories against Celtic FC (2-0) and SL Benfica (1-0) when they tried to unsettle the European champions with an attacking formation on Matchday 3.

'Big mistakes'
Raţ, 26, is adamant they will not fall into the same trap in Donetsk. "Of course the Milan match will be tough mentally," said the Romanian international. "We lost the first game in Italy and committed many big mistakes. I hope we can learn the necessary lessons from that. We will try to avoid making the same mistakes and to get the result we need."

Seedorf mark
Raţ was part of a Shakhtar team beaten 1-0 at home by Milan in September 2004, and eight of the Rossoneri's starting XI that night – including goalscorer Clarence Seedorf – remain at San Siro. As does unused substitute Kakha Kaladze, a player who knows all about Tuesday's opponents having spent three seasons at FC Dynamo Kyiv before becoming Georgia's most expensive footballer when Milan paid €16m for him.

'Tactics'
"Shakhtar's midfielders and forwards can cause serious problems to any defence," said the 29-year-old Kaladze, who is expected to partner Alessandro Nesta in the heart of Milan's back line. "However, Carlo Ancelotti will employ the tactics to help us win the match. I remember the game three years ago when we withstood considerable pressure before taking our chance through Seedorf to win the points."

Confidence boost
With Milan labouring in ninth place in Serie A, Kaladze knows a strong showing is not only vital for their prospects of reaching the knockout rounds. "A victory could also have a positive influence on our confidence," he explained. "Much will depend out wide as Giuseppe Favalli and Massimo Oddo put in fine performances against their wingers during the first match, which helped us a lot."