CELTIC'S fatty' Donati today laughed off Spartak Moscow's claims he's too porky to help his side beat them here tomorrow.

Then Massimo Donati promised to put his full weight behind helping Hoops make the Moscow scouts eat their words.

The Italian midfielder proudly pulled up his shirt to display a taut six-pack - his response to the taunt by Spartak spy Dimitri Popov who watched him in action at Falkirk last weekend.

And he said in the sweltering heat of Moscow today: "I am not too heavy. Look at me. Am I carrying any fat?

"But I will show what I can do when we play here tomorrow night."

While the 90-degree heat which greeted Celtic when they arrived here last night, and which has continued today as they trained at the Luzhniki Stadium remains, Donati could not be happier.

In fact, it makes a welcome change from what he has been suffering in Glasgow.

The 26-year-old explained: "I like Glasgow, it is very nice. But the weather is no good.

"My wife is now there with me, and this is better because I have been living in a hotel.

"But she is from Sicily where it is very hot just now, and it is very cold in Glasgow."

Donati is ready for the heat to be turned up even further when the action kicks off tomorrow night and the battle for a place in the Champions League group stage begins for real.

He said: "Reaching the group stage is the first objective for the year.

"For me, and for the club, it is very very important.

"I am looking forward to playing in the Cham-pions League. That is why I came to Celtic.

"I am 26 now and I want to play in an important competition like this."

Donati is delighted that standing shoulder to shoulder with him against the might of Spartak will be Scott Brown.

He said: "Scott is a fantastic player.

"I didn't know him before I came here. But he is a very energetic player. He is also intelligent and has a fantastic future.

"I like playing with him in midfield because I can sit back and play balls while he can use his energy to get forward."