The Scottish champions stayed in the hunt for a place in the last 32 of the tournament as goals from Kieran Tierney and Odsonne Edouard secured the 2-1 win over their Bundesliga opponents.

Edouard’s winner came just a minute after Jean-Kevin Augustin had equalised for Leipzig and Rodgers praised the character of his team.

“The players were absolutely brilliant and they so deserved to win the game,” said Rodgers. “Some of our football was fantastic and they kept fighting to the very end.

Brendan Rodgers hailed a "proper win against a top team". Picture: SNS Group

“When you press as a team, you can have no ego in the team.

“We spoke about it [the possibility of losing a goal] before the game, that you have to respond when things go negatively in the game.

“That’s the mark of a good player. When things go against you, you know you have the fight and the spirit.

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“It is a proper win against a top team who are fourth in the Bundesliga. In terms of a European victory, this is a great three points.”

Celtic are now level on points with Leipzig in Group B which is headed by Red Bull Salzburg who crushed Rosenborg 5-2 in Norway.

Rodgers’ side face Rosenborg in Trondheim in their next match on 29 November, with Leipzig travelling to face Salzburg.

“After we conceded the first goal, we didn’t play very well,” said disappointed Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick.

“We were much better and dominant in the second half. But when you equalise when we did, you cannot then concede again so quickly like we did.

“A draw tonight would probably have been enough for us to qualify, so we are not happy. We now need to try and get something in Salzburg and then beat Rosenborg in our last match.”

Brendan Rodgers hails '˜absolutely brilliant' Celtic display against RB Leipzig