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Donati looking to prove a point

Massimo Donati hopes to show Carlo Ancelotti that he was wrong to let him go this summer as Celtic FC host UEFA Champions League holders AC Milan in Group D.

Massimo Donati is determined to prove his old coach wrong
Massimo Donati is determined to prove his old coach wrong ©Getty Images

Massimo Donati is hoping to show Carlo Ancelotti he was wrong to let him go this summer when Celtic FC host UEFA Champions League holders AC Milan on Matchday 2.

Summer move
The 26-year-old midfielder joined the Scottish champions from the Rossoneri in June having found it difficult to hold down a place at San Siro due to competition from players such as Kaká, Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. Donati made only 17 Serie A appearances for Milan and after five loan moves elsewhere, had no hesitation in switching to Celtic. Now he wants to prove to his former coach that he is capable of playing on football's biggest stage.

Milan 'mistake'
"Obviously it is very important for me to show Milan that they made a mistake in letting me go," said Donati. "I felt I didn't get enough of a chance at San Siro, but then again there was a lot of competition for midfield places. Celtic are a big club who offered me the opportunity of Champions League football and it made sense to come here. This game is not about revenge for me – what I want is for Celtic to play well, and then for me to play well within the team."

Fantastic Kaká
Donati's inside knowledge on Milan may prove useful for Gordon Strachan as the Celtic manager plots the Rossoneri's downfall. According to the ex-Italian Under-21 international, there are two players in particular that Celtic have to keep quiet. "For me, Kaká and Clarence Seedorf are Milan's best players," Donati said. "Of course they have good players in all positions but Kaká is at a fantastic level right now. Milan may not be doing so well in Serie A but they seem to enjoy the Champions League where there is more space, and those two, along with Andrea Pirlo, can really hurt teams."

Vital tie
With Celtic losing at FC Shakhtar Donetsk on Matchday 1, Donati knows the importance of getting a result against Milan and he cannot wait to sample a European night at Celtic Park. "I've been told the atmosphere is fantastic on European nights, so that is something I'm really looking forward to sampling," he said. "Our objective is to get through the group stage, so we have to take something from the game after losing our first match. A win would be perfect but a point would be better than nothing."

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