Celtic

Celtic are currently unbeaten in the Premiership, yet the humbling manner of their Champions League elimination has served only to reinforce the feeling that the club hierarchy did not do enough in the summer to improve the team following the departures of key players Gary Hooper, Kelvin Wilson and Victor Wanyama.

The Scottish champions saved around £12 million more than the £9.5 million they spent during the summer transfer window, so presumably there is money available. The question is: Will they spend it now that they're out of Europe?

Recent trends suggest that the most the club will part with for a single player is around £3 million. Not since July 2009, when Marc-Antoine Fortune arrived from AS Nancy for £3.8 million, have the Hoops spent over that amount on one player.

So, what can Celtic add to augment their current squad this January?

A Creative Midfielder

For too long now the Hoops have placed the burden of midfield creativity squarely on the shoulders of Kris Commons.

The former Scotland international virtually carries the team domestically at times, with his mountain of goals from midfield (17 already this season) and sizeable number of assists making him Celtic's standout player of the past three years.

He does struggle in Europe, however, and Celtic have been crying out for a player with genuine flair and creative qualities since Shunsuke Nakamura departed for Espanyol in 2010.

Nakamura was a £3.7 million find from then-Serie A side Reggina in 2006. If someone with even close to the Japanese superstar's technical ability was to be brought in, then the club would surely reap the benefits in one of the areas they are most found lacking in Europe: their ability to keep the ball in the final third.

A Goalscorer

Anthony Stokes' goal away at St Mirren on Sunday marked only the fourth time an out-and-out striker has scored for Celtic since the end of October.

With four strikers currently active in the senior squad—Stokes, Teemu Pukki, Amido Balde and Bahrudin Atajic—as well as two out on loan in Mohamed Bangura and Tony Watt, the addition of another will probably necessitate one or more being let go first.

None of these players, however, have suggested this season that they are able to fill the goalscoring gap left by Hooper.

Icelandic under-21 international Holmbert Fridjonsson has still to appear for the Hoops, having only become available on January 1—yet the signing of the 20-year-old is similar to the roles of Balde, Watt and Atajic in that he is viewed as "one for the future."

Prolific Heerenveen striker Alfred Finnbogason has been a potential target for the champions since the summer, with the Daily Record reporting as recently as Christmas time that Neil Lennon travelled to the Netherlands to scout the Iceland international. With a host of clubs around Europe interested, however, it'd take a substantial amount of money to secure his signature.

A Defensive Midfielder

Celtic have plenty of central midfielders; even with the suggestion of Joe Ledley's departure as contract discussions drag on, they are well-stocked in that area of the field.

What they don't have is Wanyama.

The big Kenyan was a colossus for the Parkhead side in Europe last season, and he's arguably been missed on that stage more than Hooper. 

Scott Brown and Ledley are both capable, at times standout, players, but they are a different breed to the youngster. The captain and the Welshman can be characterised as box-to-box players, while Wanyama—although certainly capable of that role—distinguished himself in defensive midfield during Celtic's Champions League campaign last season; everything went through him at the heart of the team's play, and he chipped in with important goals as well.

The signing of Nir Biton hasn't worked out yet and Beram Kayal continues to be but a pale imitation of his former self, meaning Charlie Mulgrew has been shifted to the defensive midfield position at times this term. The Scot may have performed admirably there, but he is no Wanyama.

A Goalkeeper?

Not as shocking as it first sounds. 

No team wants to lose their best players, even those with a buy-to-sell policy such as Celtic. And anyway—the 25-year-old has already told the Daily Record he doesn't want to leave this month. 

Nevertheless, with Forster's star still rising, several top clubs lurking and an England call-up for the World Cup this summer increasingly likely, it is no longer a question of "if," but "when," they sell their No. 1.

The argument for letting him go this month is surprisingly strong: An inflated January market for desperate, underperforming teams could bank the club cash to strengthen early for the impending Champions League qualifiers in the summer.

Bringing a new goalkeeper in now would also allow the player time to settle, and time for Lennon to bed him into the squad before the qualifiers, eliminating the chance of getting caught cold in that department if Forster departs after the World Cup.

Likewise, the case for waiting is just as convincing—another five months of a solid, familiar presence between the sticks is something a lot of clubs covet. Moreover, if Forster is included in the England World Cup squad, his value could soar, earning the club more money. 

Ultimately what the board, and the fans, must ask themselves is this: Would they rather hold on to the big goalie for a few more months, in the hope that when he does leave it is after the World Cup and his value has risen? Or let him leave earlier, for potentially less money, but in doing so allow themselves the time to bed in a new keeper for the Champions League qualifiers?

In terms of qualification, this match means little. In terms of pride, it means everything.

Celtic and Barcelona couldn't be more paradoxical in their journey towards this game.

The Scottish champions travel to Catalonia having won their previous two games (against Hearts and Motherwell) in scintillating style: scoring 12 while conceding none.

They are, however, already out of the Champions League and now play purely for pride after winning only once in the group so far.

Los Cules, meanwhile, host the Hoops after two defeats in three matches—to fellow Group H opponents Ajax and Athletic Bilbao, respectively.

But they have qualified for the last 16 already, making this match important to them only in that they will want to ensure they finish top of the group (a surprise defeat here coupled with a Milan win would see the Rossoneri finish first).

There's also the need to continue to arrest the mini-slump (by recent Barcelona standards) following their 4-1 defeat of Segunda Division B side Cartagena on Friday.

Barcelona

The Catalan side currently sit top of both La Liga and Group H—but both positions are somewhat precarious.

Domestically, the form of Atletico Madrid means there is no gap at the top—only a goal difference of two keeps Barca top, despite only one loss so far.

In Europe, a Milan win over Ajax would mean the Rossoneri can still pip them to the top qualifying spot in the group if Celtic grab a shock win.

A draw might be enough, but it would be inconceivable for Gerardo Martino to start anything other than a strong team—he will want the win.

As such, barring a monumental performance from the visitors or a colossal collapse by la Blaugrana, it should be a case of business as usual for the European giants.

Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez may feel more confident facing Fraser Forster this time round after scoring twice against him recently when the goalkeeper was on international duty with England.

Barcelona players, including Sanchez and Andres Iniesta, had singled Forster out for praise in all of their previous meetings with Celtic.

Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique and Neymar were rested during the Copa del Rey win over Cartagena, with at least two of them likely to feature on Wednesday.

In addition to Lionel Messi, who is still out with a hamstring injury, Barcelona are likely to be missing Cesc Fabregas to suspension as well as right-back Daniel Alves and goalkeeper Victor Valdes, both to calf problems.

However, both Xavi and Iniesta are included in the 20-man squad for the game, after recovering from a calf and hamstring injury, respectively.

Celtic 

Neil Lennon's side have played well against the Spanish champions three times in the past year—winning once and losing twice.

They've done it by defending bravely and hoping for clinical finishes when any chances arose; a system which worked to perfection just over a year ago with a 2-1 victory.

One of the defeats came with the final kick of the ball, snatching a famous draw away at the last possible second.

The other, at Celtic Park this time, came just two months ago and saw Lennon having to contend with Barcelona a player down after captain Scott Brown was sent off.

Since then the campaign hasn't really evolved for the Hoops.

The biggest decision the Celtic manager will have facing him this time round is what system to play.

It's Barcelona. At the Camp Nou. The natural inclination will always be to play for scraps, utilise Georgios Samaras as a target man wide left, to battle hard and hope to nick a goal, probably via a corner or free-kick. 

However, the 4-4-2 diamond system Celtic have been playing recently has heralded some of the best passing football since Lennon's first full season in charge—he may opt not to change it. 

The system seems to bring the best out of Kris Commons, who so often goes missing in European matches.

Charlie Mulgrew continues to impress as he gets used to playing in yet another new position as the midfield anchor, utilising his fantastic long-range passing to great effect in that position for both Celtic and Scotland.

It also necessitates Greek international Samaras dropping to the bench—unless he starts as a striker, which is generally when he is at his most frustrating and ineffective.

It will come down to Lennon's attitude to the game: Do Celtic play to their own strengths or to frustrate Barcelona's?

A big part of the recently successful system has been full-backs Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre marauding forward as the midfielders are playing more central—but Izaguirre is suspended. A semi-fit Adam Matthews may be thrown in at the deep end in a left-back berth he started in against the same opposition last year.

To choose the first option would be brave and, avoiding a heavy defeat, admired. But it's hard to hold it against anyone should they opt for the latter, given the opposition.

The Coaches

Gerardo Martino (via Barcelona official website):

We'll be playing in a 30 yard strip of pitch and we need to keep up the pressing to stop Celtic hitting us on the break. The most logical thing is that Neymar will start as the centre forward. 

Neil Lennon (via the Daily Mail):

The shackles will be off a little bit but there has to be a defensive discipline and a concentration there. If we get carried away, we’ll be punished.

Celtic winger James Forrest has been arrested after being accused of two separate cases of indecent exposure that occurred in South Ayrshire, according to BBC News.

The 22-year-old is said to have committed the first offence at 11 p.m. GMT on Saturday, Nov. 16, before doing so again at 2 a.m. the following morning.

As it was an international week, the Bhoys had no fixture that weekend, and Forrest was not called up to face the United States as part of Gordon Strachan's Scotland squad.

The report goes on to say that Forrest is believed to have been in Elliots Bar in Prestwick at the time the offences occurred.

Despite the revelation, a Celtic spokesperson confirmed Forrest has been released and remains a part of Neil Lennon's Celtic squad to face Milan on Tuesday night.

According to the Daily Record, Police Scotland said:

A 22-year-old man is subject to a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with two alleged public indecencies in Prestwick on Saturday November 16 into Sunday November 17.

Forrest has struggled with injury this season, making just six league appearances and scoring two goals.

However, the wide man has started in both of his side's last two European fixtures, scoring in the 2-1 win over Ajax a month ago.

That victory remains the only thing keeping Celtic afloat at this stage of their European campaign, and a loss to Milan would eradicate any chances the Scots have of advancing to the round of 16.

In that scenario, a future in the Europa League would rest on Celtic being able to grab points from their trip to Barcelona in December, assuming Ajax don't claim any more points of their own.

For now, Lennon has the youngster as a readily available asset to use against the Rossoneri, in what is a vital game for Celtic's Champions League hopes.