Deco and Thierry Henry train at Celtic Park

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 his first Barcelona goal in a 3-1 victory at Parkhead, Celtic's only home Champions League defeat, a match which also saw Henrik Larsson score the Catalan's third.

The 51-times capped Portugal international has other fond memories of facing the SPL champions having been in the Porto side that won the 2003 Uefa Cup final against them.

Larsson scored a double for the Glasgow side in that final and Deco was keen to point out that the Swede's absence from either line-up this time could be significant.

"The two other Celtic teams I have played against are as strong as this side," he added.

"But Celtic lost Larsson and in doing that they lost a very good player.

"We are only concerned with them as a team, not so much as individuals.

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

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Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has produced several moments of genius to seperate his side from the opposition, including a free-kick winner against Manchester United last season.

But Deco is not worried about the danger the Japanese possesses.

"I don't think they'll be dangerous from those set-plays," he added.