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INTER defender Nemanja Vidic is almost certainly out of next week’s showdown with Celtic.

The defender will miss the chance to perform in front of the Hoops fans he last night dubbed the most passionate in Europe.

The Serie A strugglers have been hit with injury problems at the back ahead of their league clash away to Atalanta tomorrow.

Vidic looks like being the highest profile casualty with the experienced stopper being ruled out of last week’s win over Palermo with sciatica.

Fellow central defender

Marco Andreolli and full-back Danilo D’Ambrosio are both out with hamstring injuries although they could be back in time to face Celtic along with captain Andrea Ranocchia who is

recovering from a knee problem.

Japanese defender Yuto Nagatomo is out for a month with a thigh tear while Brazilian wingback Jonathan has just undergone a knee operation and faces at least three months out.

And Vidic has warned his team-mates they must block out the cauldron of noise if they want to get a result at sold-out Celtic Park – his most passionate venue in football.

The Serb has faced the madhouse of Parkhead on Champions League nights twice in his career with Manchester United – a 1-0 defeat in 2006 and a 1-1 draw in 2008.

He said: “I have played at Celtic Park before – and the atmosphere they create is intimidating. I have been telling my Inter team-mates we must block out the noise we know the Celtic fans will create.

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“If we let the atmosphere get to us we can lose focus – and you can not afford to do that against a team of Celtic’s quality – especially when they are playing at home.

“Throughout my career I have played in some really tough places in terms of the noise and the passion the fans create. Every game I have played in Turkey stands out for passion created by the fans – but the best has been at Celtic Park. There is no question on a big European night they are going to create a lot of noise – but we must be professional and mentally block it.

“It is two very important games. Firstly both Inter and Celtic are big clubs and will want to win the Europe League – but also because the winners of the competition qualify for the Champions League.

“That is where both ourselves and Celtic will want to be playing next season – so I expect it to be two very hard games.”

The Serb suffered similar problems at Manchester United which hampered last pre-season at Old

Trafford and is now sidelined for Roberto Mancini’s men.

Mancini, who is in his second spell at the San Siro, has won just five of his 15 games in charge since replacing fellow Italian Walter Mazzarri last November.

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