CAL A TOP TEAM PICK

CELTIC PARK’S reputation as a fortress was starting to crumble after a few poundings at the walls.

But Mikael Lustig admits the rocking arena needed a quick restoration job.

The Parkhead men pulled up the drawbridge against Zenit after raiders like PSG and Bayern Munich had left the iconic venue’s fear factor in rubble.

And Lustig said: “We felt we needed a performance like that in Europe after our last few games. Obviously the PSG game was not good, Anderlecht was really bad then the Bayern Munich game was good.

“It felt like it was time for a big performance.

“I felt everyone, from Dorus de Vries up to Moussa Dembele, worked really hard. Both in defence and going forward we worked well as a team.”

Lustig admitted Celts were determined to make a statement after the rise of a band of doubters.

The Swede reckons some of the sniping is unfair, especially when the Hoops have an entire starting 11 on the treatment table.

He said: “We always have a point to prove. Sometimes it feels like people maybe ask too much when it’s said we should beat PSG and Bayern Munich.

“But we take the credit when it comes our way. I thought we were brilliant, especially in the first half.

“We’re Celtic players so of course we need to take the criticism when we don’t play well. But we want to press high up the pitch and sometimes that asks a lot from the defenders.

“We haven’t been satisfied for a couple of games so it was really nice to get a clean sheet.” CALLUM McGREGOR has been chosen in the Europa League team of the week after his stunning goal against Zenit.

The Celtic midfielder is the only Hoops players to make the cut and is joined by big-name stars from Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

Celtic had the highest passing completion percentage (92 per cent) of all 32 teams in action.

Team of the week: D Ospina (Arsenal), S Lainer (RB Salzburg), Lucas (At Madrid), C Chambers, N Monreal (both Arsenal), A Schurrle (B Dortmund), M Fernandes (Lokomotiv), B Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon), C McGREGOR (Celtic), M Batshuayi (B Dortmund), T Werner (RB Leipzig).