Celtic defender Jullien

I had the last laugh against Alfredo says

CHRISTOPHER Jullien says he had the l ast laugh after refusing to take Alfredo Morelos’ bait during Celtic’s Old Firm triumph at Ibrox.

The Rangers frontman appeared to be looking for a reaction from the Hoops defender when he trod on his foot late on during the season’s opening derby clash.

But Jullien did not react as he kept his head to help steer Neil Lennon’s side to a precious three points at the home of their bitter rivals.

Gers skipper James Tavernier said before the game he expected the Hoops would look to provoke the Colombian after last season’s welldocumented disciplinary problems.

However, it seemed to be Morelos engaging in the dark arts as he clashed with the £7 million signing from Toulouse as they waited for a free-kick to be delivered.

Frenchman Jullien – named Man of the Match after his side’s 2-0 win – said: “That’s the game. It happens in every sport, you know, trash t alk. Basketball, football, American football – it’s everywhere.

“It’s part of the game. If it’s a strength for him, I don’t know. I don’t know him so much.

“We talked about it before the game and I was told he was sometimes a bit like that.

“I told him to his face ‘I like that so keep going’. If we have a clean sheet then I did my job, so it’s all good.”

Jullien says Sunday’s victory was the perfect response to the critics who have been lining up to have a pop at Lennon’s team since they crashed out of the Champions League to Romanian outfit Cluj.

He added: “We judge big teams and champions when they stand up after a fall.”