CHRISTOPHER Jullien said champions are judged on how they respond to adversity, and in that regard Celtic have shown their true colours with their performances in recent weeks.

The international break saw Celtic round off the first run of fixtures this season in dominant fashion. The Hoops qualified for the Europa League group stages after demolishing Swedish champions AIK 6-1 on aggregate in the play-off round.

Three days after their 4-1 win in Stockholm, Celtic travelled to Ibrox for the first Glasgow Derby of the season where they convincingly defeated Rangers 2-0.

Jullien’s performances in both games earned him praise from Neil Lennon and has left the French defender excited for the return to action.

“We judge a champion in how they stand up after a fall,” said Jullien. “We were devastated after the Cluj game because it was a goal for this club to qualify, but the reaction we showed ourselves was a good thing. We know we have talent and good players and I’m really happy about the attitude of the whole team.

“It’s got better since I arrived. When you play in a position like mine, it’s not easy to gel right away because you don’t know your partner or how they like to play, or whether they prefer the ball on the left or right.

"Each day we can improve individually and as a team. We have a lot of talent. We are good but I’m sure we can be better each day. With the mentality we have in the team, I have no doubt that we can work every day. We have a lot of work to do. It’s just one month, though. We’ve had a good month, we celebrated and had a day off, but the Premiership is going to start back and the European games will be upon us soon.”

Jullien was one of four Celtic defenders to experience their first taste of a Glasgow derby on Sunday, and the 26-year-old was awarded Man of the Match for his brilliant defensive display. The Frenchman credited Neil Lennon for trusting in him and said every one of his team-mates was deserving of the award.

“It was a perfect first derby for me because we got the win,” he said. “It’s a good first step. Everything about the game including the atmosphere, was really good. It was a good feeling on the field and when you finish a game like that with a victory it was really good.

“I was really focused. I had a chat with the manager and I was really focused. Before this game we knew it was an important week. I just did my job. After I received the Man of the Match award, I said every one of the players deserved it because we did a really good job on the field.”

Jullien: Celtic performances are the sign of true champions