CELTIC midfielder Shaun Maloney insists a desire to maintain their impressive home form in the Champions League will keep the players motivated for tonight's Group E clash with Villarreal.
The Hoops have only lost to Barcelona at home, twice, in the Champions League proper in six campaigns.
That form helped the Parkhead side reach the last 16 of the competition in the last two seasons but this campaign has not gone to plan and they
find themselves bottom of their group without even the consolation of the UEFA Cup to look forward to in the new year.
While the appetite among Celtic fans for this game is yet to be revealed in terms of tonight's attendance, Maloney promised the Hoops' faithful the usual all-out effort against the Spanish club.
"We will still have pride in our home form and in playing in front of our own supporters," he said.
"We will give it our all, we will be playing to get the three points because we do not want to lose that home record.
"I can see why the night is a bit of an anti-climax for some supporters, but we will need to try and do our best to give something back to them."
Maloney reflected philosophically on this season's European campaign which started with a goalless draw at home against Aalborg.
He said: "I just feel frustration. I think there have been periods in each game where we have played well but it's a fine line. In the second half against Villarreal, they were very dominant and at Old Trafford it was a similar story.
"But, if you look at our game against Manchester United at home and our performance in the first hour away against Aalborg, you see how fine a line it is between qualifying and not going through.
"This year we were just that little bit off and it's resulted in us not being in Europe.
"The bottom line is that the boys who made such a magnificent effort last year earned their right to play in the Champions League.
"I am really hopefully that we can do the same this year and have another crack at it next season."
Goalkeeper Artur Boruc has been told he will keep the gloves for tonight's match despite his blunder against Hibs on Sunday.
