O'Dea relishes big name tie

Nine-times winners Real Madrid and UEFA Cup holders Sevilla have joined an illustrious list of potential Champions League opponents for Celtic – but Hoops defender Darren O’Dea insists none will relish a trip to Parkhead.

The Spanish pair and Porto this week secured top spot in their groups alongside Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester United and both Milan clubs.

Celtic could face Inter but with a home win under their belt against holders AC Milan, who they cannot be paired with next Friday, O’Dea feels none of the big guns will savour a trip to Glasgow.

The Hoops have only lost once in 16 home games in the full Champions League and will play the first leg of their last-16 tie in Glasgow in February.

“I don’t think anyone would fancy coming to Parkhead,” O’Dea said.

“Obviously our away form hasn’t been as good as we would have liked, but it’s improving.

“I don’t know if other teams would fancy having us but I wouldn’t.”

The Irish defender cannot separate any of their possible opponents, who have all won the trophy before apart from big-spending Chelsea and double UEFA Cup winners Sevilla.

“They are all big teams and whoever we play it’s going to be a massive game,” O’Dea said.

“We have a good record at home so any team we do get, we are going to be confident of doing a job.

“There are different types of teams that play in different types of ways. They are all massive teams full of quality players so there is no team we want to avoid.”

Celtic are the sole Scottish representatives in the knockout stages after Rangers were consigned to the UEFA Cup following a 3-0 defeat against Lyon.

But O’Dea does not feel their Old Firm rivals’ failure makes Celtic’s feat any greater – or puts them at a disadvantage in a tight Clydesdale Bank Premier League title race.

“We knew how big an achievement it was when we qualified over in Milan,” the 20-year-old said.

“So there is no bigger sense of achievement, we are all very proud of what we have done and that is all we are worried about.

“Last season we qualified for the last 16 and won the league by however many points.

“I think we have a big enough squad and we are full of young and fit lads.

“Our main aim is to win the league this year and go as far as we possibly can in the Champions League so I don’t think it will affect us in any way.”

O’Dea played against AC Milan last season as Celtic went down to a one-goal extra-time defeat in the first knockout round and he hopes to be involved again this season.

The Irishman came off the bench in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Falkirk after starting the previous two games.

“I want to play every game Celtic play,” he said. “It was a great honour and a good achievement to play in the last 16 last year.

“But we obviously lost the game so it wasn’t the end result that I was looking for so hopefully this season we can go one better.”

Aiden McGeady scored a hat-trick against the Bairns after impressing in Celtic’s Champions League run and O’Dea believes the winger will be a key man in their bid to reach the quarter-finals.

“He is a top player now but I’m sure in years to come he will be better,” O’Dea said.

“Aiden is probably the best player I’ve played with and I’m sure he will go on to bigger and better things.

“He is a massive player for us and he will be a big part of us going forward.”