LENNON DELIGHT AS BHOYS SECURE TOP SPOT

STEPHEN McGOWAN

NEIL LENNON last night hailed a landmark night for Celtic after Scotland’s champions secured top spot in their Europa League group. An emphatic 3-1 win over Rennes saw the Parkhead side overcome the pre-match loss of injured top scorer Odsonne Edouard to finish first in a UEFA qualifying group for the first time in 14 attempts and ensure they avoid Champions League drop-outs in the draw for the last 32. Goals from Lewis Morgan, Ryan Christie and comeback man Mikey Johnston made it 13 points from a possible 15 and ten wins in the same European campaign for the first time in the club’s history. Another unbeaten night in Europe for Celtic and Rangers also elevated Scotland’s club coefficient to new heights of 15th — raising the prospect of two teams entering the Champions League qualifiers in the 2021/22 season. Thrilled by his side’s display, Lennon said: ‘There were some milestones to achieve tonight. We asked the players if they could go

first time, could they win the group, could they win ten games in Europe in a season? They answered all those questions. ‘Psychologically, it wasn’t easy but they handled it very well. We cut Rennes open at times — going forward we are playing very well. I’m delighted for the players. They keep setting new milestones. ‘I don’t know how much of an achievement it is topping the group. But it’s a landmark night for us because we have never done it before. It means we can maybe get a better draw in the last 32. ‘What pleases me is the 100-percent record at home. That sends out a great message. It was important to keep momentum going. If you lose that momentum, it’s hard to switch that on again. ‘They were playing with a lot of freedom tonight, a real swagger about them. There was no complacency about them, apart from in the last 15 minutes which was understandable.’ The only negative for Lennon is the injury for top scorer Edouard, with the French Under21 international now a doubt for Sunday’s Premiership clash with Ross County in Dingwall. ‘He’s got a niggle so we didn’t want to take any chances,’ revealed Lennon. ‘We’ll see how he is for the weekend. ‘But that performance tonight without Odsonne shows how well we can play even if we have important players missing. It sums up the group at the minute. We’re in a really good place. ‘We’re all really pleased for Lewis Morgan as we knew he could do it. He just needs to believe in himself the way that we believe in him. ‘As regards to Odsonne, we’ll just need to take it day by day with him and see how he is.’ Yet another stunning night for the Old Firm in Europe means Scotland have now gatecrashed the top 15 of the club coefficient as things stand, offering the prospect of two Champions League qualifiers and an extra team in the Europa League the season after next. Lennon admitted: ‘It’s great news for the Scottish game. Rangers have done fantastically well in their group as well to take it to the last game. ‘We want to get back up there and get people talking about us again. I go back to the scenes we saw in Rome and what it meant to the fans and the players. They got a real taste of it then and all of a sudden it really kicks in — that these are special nights and you have to make the most of them. ‘You have a long domestic season where you try to win trophies. But the reward is Europe. So you want to compete and learn from it as a player. ‘So, to be 15th at the minute shows we’ve made really good strides in the last 12 months.’