Here we go again. The grisly arithmetic of Celtic’s winless away record in the Champions League comes around regularly for grim inspection, so let us get it out of the way before judging whether Gordon Strachan’s side have any chance of ending that sequence by beating Aalborg in Denmark tonight.

Since 2001-02, Celtic have played 17 away matches in the Champions League group stage without recording a win. That toll stands at 19 matches if you include two away games in the last 16, against AC Milan and Barcelona.

What is worse is that, of all these games, only once have Celtic managed even to draw. The travel bug, therefore, clearly runs deep in the club’s constitution. Some of this may have explained Strachan’s degree of tetchiness on the eve of tonight’s game in Denmark.

“Tetchiness” is something that the Celtic manager does well, even if being an Old Firm manager would drive anyone to distraction. The fact is, though, that when these winless statistics are raised with Strachan, his immediate reaction is to rub his eyes and even tug at his eyebrows in frustration.

The Scottish champions’ chances in group E hang by a thread. Even if they end their barren run by winning this evening, simultaneously they need Manchester United to beat Villarreal in Spain to keep their hopes alive. Even then, Celtic would need to beat Villarreal at home by two clear goals on December 10 in order to reach the last 16.

Strachan knows that it is asking a lot. “It’s very unlikely, but it’s possible, I suppose,” he said when asked about the side’s last-16 chances, before offering a sharp dose of reality concerning the Uefa Cup spot that will be Celtic’s consolation tonight if they beat Aalborg. “What we were trying to achieve when we set off in this campaign was to be still playing in Europe at the end of it, so that’s all we can target now,” Strachan said. “You never know where you can go in the Uefa Cup. Last season it was an absolutely terrific performance by Rangers to reach the final.”

The question remains: what is the curse, the spook, on Celtic on the road? It isn’t all Strachan’s fault, by any means. Martin O’Neill, as revered a figure as there is in Celtic’s history — Jock Stein included — had three Champions League campaigns at Celtic Park, during which the club’s awful away run built up its unwanted momentum.

“We’ve tried everything,” Strachan said in exasperation. “I’ve been asked, ‘what’s the answer to getting beaten like this?’ The answer is to score more goals than our opponents — that’s the answer, really. And it is something I am trying to implement. I’ve got that many unlucky suits in that wardrobe of mine, it’s just not true.

“The players do have the mentality — that is there. And I don’t think my players have ever heard me say that we will ‘sit in’ in these games.

“But there are different teams, different styles, different conditions. I was comfortable with our performance in Villarreal and I hope to be comfortable tomorrow night. But we will need that moment of brilliance.

“If Samaras had scored with his chance at Villarreal, then that changes Champions League games. Instead, Senna scored with his bit of brilliance — that is the difference in the Champions League.

“But we take heart from the performance in the Villarreal game, and we can take heart from drawing with Manchester United in Glasgow. And we’re doing well domestically. So all of that at least helps you to feel better about yourself.”

Celtic have a list of injury worries, though that will not prevent Strachan from naming a fairly robust team. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has no chance of starting, while Paul Hartley, Barry Robson and Shunsuke Nakamura all have strains.

Aiden McGeady, who has been missing for more than three weeks with tendinitis in his right knee, should be fit again, but is an unlikely starter against the Danish outfit.

“We go into every match wanting to win, but I keep saying it: our priority is to win the Scottish league,” Strachan said. The Celtic of Scotland and the Celtic of Europe are clearly two different forces.