Mikael Lustig has admitted that he set out to noise up Neymar in last week’s Champions League clash with Barcelona.
While Leo Messi earned the praise and applause of the Celtic support his Brazilian team-mate was booed and jeered for his sportsmanship.
When he walked off the park in slow motion after being substituted Neymar couldn’t have been in any doubt about his popularity in the east end.
Lustig has extensive experience of European and international football and knew how to gain an edge of his famous opponent.
“There weren’t any heavy tackles – it was just two guys who moaned at each other,” the Swede told The Herald. “It was nothing special.
“He’s better than me so to try and compete you try to stay close and sometimes you need to pull some tricks and get into his head.
“It was job done when he reacted but then I didn’t show my experience when I chased after him and got a yellow as well!”
Lustig is in the final year of his Celtic contract with talks on going about a new deal for the former Rosenborg man.
Fitness and injuries have greatly hampered his progress over the last couple of years but like James Forrest he seems to have shrugged those worries aside under the new management regime.
As well as playing at full-back the 29-year-old has also filled in at centre-back this season, most recently away to Borussia Monchengladbach.
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