WHENEVER you look for AC Milan in the Serie A table, you tend to start towards the top.

That is where you usually find the seven-time European champions, in a small cluster with city rivals Internazionale, Juventus, and maybe Roma and Napoli, too. Not many Scudetti have found their way to the red-and-black half of Milan of late - just one title in the past decade - but they can usually be relied on to be up there challenging.

Not this year, though. In fact, anyone looking for Massimiliano Allegri's side will need to slide their finger so far down it almost falls off the page. It seems unthinkable that a club of such stature, history and pedigree, and with an international-calibre squad, could have fallen on such hard times but the evidence is irrefutable; after 13 league games Milan lie in 13th place, four points from the relegation places.

This, unsurprisingly, has not gone down well with the supporters. Things reached a head on Saturday when, following a 1-1 draw at home to 10-man Genoa, a crowd of around 300 hardcore fans blocked the exits, preventing the players leaving, while chanting "shame on you, we're waiting for you with sticks."

Sent out to try to reason with the mob were goalkeeper Christian Abbiati and Kaka, the Brazilian playmaker who rejoined the club in August after four years with Real Madrid. Kaka is one who has been excused blame for Milan's form, both as a result of the legendary status built up in his first six-year spell but also for his recent performances (he who scored against Genoa).

Last night, around 1000 miles away from the turmoil, the 31-year-old Brazilian was again put forward as the spokesperson for this troubled club, addressing the media ahead at Celtic Park. He and his team-mates may be grateful for the chance to seek sanctuary in Glasgow, where only a smattering of their fans will be in attendance, but Kaka, diplomatically, insisted home is still best despite the current difficulties. "For me, I prefer to play in the San Siro, even in the current situation because I always feel [happy] when the fans sing for me," he said. "Since I arrived back, the question of leadership has been raised. So far it has only really been in words, but now it has to be in attitude, too.

"We need to produce on the field and speaking to the supporters after the Genoa game was not a huge burden. It's not something I am used to doing, but if I am seen as one of the senior players, then it is something I must get used to doing."

Allegri, the embattled head coach, also shared the view that it is always better to play in front of your own followers, regardless of what they may think of you. "It's normal that the fans are disappointed," he said. "They are not the only ones, everyone at the club shares their disappointment. We have to do better, we need the fans behind us. But I don't think it's ever true that it's better to be playing away from home. It's always better to be playing at the San Siro."

For a man seemingly fighting for his job, Allegri seemed remarkably calm. Only once during his press conference did mild Massimiliano disappear temporarily to be replaced by mad Max in response to a question about players turning up late for training. "What makes me angry is the false information," he said. "For reports to appear that five players turned up late for training is nonsense and I'd like to know where these stories come from."

There was a confession from Kaka that the mood in the Milan dressing room was "a bit tense" but the hope was such pressure would work to their advantage. "If tension and pressure is used in the right manner, it can be a big motivation for you."

Victory this evening could ensure Milan's passage through to the last 16 but Allegri was not getting carried away. "This is an important match, if not necessarily a decisive match, in the race to qualify. It will be difficult because we know Celtic are a very strong team. Too many times recently we have had false dawns so let's see what happens."