MATCHWINNER Christopher Jullien hailed his glory goal against Lazio as the greatest moment of his career.
And the centre-half, whose 89th-minute header gave Celtic a superb 2-1 comeback Europa League Group E triumph over Lazio at Parkhead last night, admitted it might shut up his fellow-Frenchman Odsonne Edouard.
Jullien, the club’s most expensive defender in history following his £7million arrival from Toulouse in the summer, told the Evening Times: “I would say that is my best moment because it is my first one on a big European night here.
“Sometimes in France when I was scoring, we were not winning. So, I would definitely rank it at the top. All week, every week, I can’t joke because I am close to scoring and I don’t score.
“Every evening before every game, the team and the staff are like: ‘It’s going to go in sometime. Keep focused’. They keep saying they trusted in me and it was going to come and seeing their faces afterwards meant it was really good.
“Odsonne was the first person to me to say: ‘I told you!’ He was joking with me on Wednesday night and saying we make so much space for you and you never score. I said: ‘You can joke with me now, but don’t come to me if I score!'”
Jullien’s soaring header from Ryan Christie’s impeccable right-wing corner-kick kept the Hoops in pole position in their section with seven points following two wins and a draw.
Neil Lennon’s men got off and running with their 1-1 draw against Rennes in France and then got revenge on Champions League conquerors Cluj with goals from Edouard and Mohamed Elyounoussi in a 2-0 triumph at the start start of the month.
After trailing to a Manuel Lazarri effort last night, they came back to level with a sweeping drive from the superb Christie before Jullien took to the air to make certain they enjoyed a victory over a very good Italian side in another dramatic European confrontation under the lights at Parkhead.
Celtic now face an intriguing return in Rome a week on Thursday.
Jullien’s defensive skills might have to come into play on that occasion.
* EVERYONE A HERO AS JULLIEN IS LAST-GASP WINNER
