GIVEN the rarity of Scottish footballing triumphs against top continental opposition rivalling that of hen’s teeth in recent years, the Europa League exploits of Celtic and Rangers this season have been a welcome tonic.

And what was especially pleasing from a Caledonian perspective about Celtic’s enthralling triumph over German cracks RB Liepzig wasn’t just the top-level quality of the opponent, but that some of the main protagonists were born and bred right here.

The likes of Keiran Tierney, Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Ryan Christie all played an integral part in gaining a crucial three points in Celtic’s quest for European football after Christmas, and that would seem to auger well for the future of not only their club side, but the national team too.

Certainly, that is the view of Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who was impressed by the way his players refused to accept just another Scottish hard-luck story after being pegged back to level terms with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

“I think you can be very proud watching the Scottish players [against Leipzig],” said Rodgers. “Playing at the very highest level.

“For me it’s not about jumping and smashing into tackles, it’s about blocking and intercepting. Blocking the lines of pass. Our rules are simple - if you give a good player time he’ll play, but let’s see how good he is when you get right up to him and put him under pressure.

“Guys like Callum, Ryan and Tom Rogic, players you would essentially say are number 10s, they showed they can do the dirty work.

“That’s what you have to do collectively. How they pressed the game they smothered the ball gave them no time and then had the quality to play.

“I said to the players the other day that we have had a lot of good performances in Europe. Sometimes we have had results others not and there’s been a hard luck story.

“I thought our reaction to their equaliser – which I didn’t think they deserved - our reaction, instead of going back, that was a turning point for us in terms of that aggression.We went forward and ended up scoring a wonderful goal. Our identity each week is to be super aggressive and that’s come right back into our team these last seven or eight weeks. We’ve been suffocating other teams when they have the ball, putting that pressure on.

“The really pleasing thing is that we did it against a really top-level team. And we showed then once we earned the right that we can play football. So, a brilliant performance and I’m so happy for the players.

“We didn’t want another hard luck story - a Scottish team plays really well, matches a better opponent and then it’s a draw and everyone leaves on a ‘what if?’. We took that next step and it was really pleasing.”

Smashing through such glass ceilings seems to be in vogue at Celtic just at the minute, with the maturation of Ryan Christie into a player who took the Leipzig match by the scruff of the neck in the second half a striking feature of the match.

“You see the level he has gone to,” said Rodgers. “He needed a moment and for me that moment came in the Hearts semi-final where he grew into becoming a Celtic player. He played with that personality went into the game and affected it.

“He has been a good player but lots of good players have been at big clubs and it hasn’t worked out. He stuck with it, showed resilience, went out and got experience and his ability to learn and take on board instructions is great.

“For him to be playing as a number eight, an attacking midfield player and play at that level, shows his quality.”

So fluent is the Celtic midfield just now, that the notion of captain Scott Brown struggling to regain his place once he is fit is not as fanciful as it may have seemed just a few weeks ago.

Rodgers poured a little cold water on that scenario unfolding, but what the level of performance achieved against Leipzig without the likes of Brown and Olivier Ntcham highlighted was the strength in depth that Celtic now enjoy.

“All the boys coming back, we want them back - it's what you want as a coach,” Rodgers said. “The guys who have come into the team, Scott Sinclair looks back to what his level is, Ryan coming in is like signing a new player, which is brilliant.

“But I also don't forget what guys have given me for two-and-a-half years either. Scott Brown is an amazing player, a big personality, he's been fantastic, so it’ll be great when he gets back. Olivier Ntcham is a top operator as well. But what this shows with this squad now is that you can't come off your game."

One of the main factors that contributed to Celtic’s victory was the disciplined performances that Rodgers wrung out of players like James Forrest. The winger tormented his immediate opponent all night, but also ensured that when he didn’t have the ball, he was alive to the danger behind him.

“The manager does his homework on the teams we are playing against and with the formation that Leipzig play, he wanted me and Scott Sinclair to tuck in,” Forrest said. “It’s good that the staff help us as much as they can. Any footballer watches the teams that they are going to come up against and the manager and staff are really good giving the boys as much information as they can.

“Then, when we go out there, it’s up to us to implement what they are telling us. It’s all part of doing your job for the team.

“Leipzig were a good team, but all of the boys put in a real shift and that’s what you need to do in Europe.”