Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor insisted that the Parkhead side got what they deserved as they booked a place in Monday’s Europa League draw.

Brendan Rodgers’ side looked to be going out of the tournament only for an 86th minute Rosenborg leveller in Germany to knock Leipzig out and enable Celtic to progress.

And while Celtic got the rub of the green on a night they toiled, McGregor has insisted that the overall haul of 9 points was worthy of progression.

“People might look at it and say we got lucky but you have to look at the big picture – we took 9 points from what was a really tough group,” said the Scotland internationalist. “We did pretty well over the piece and I think we deserve the chance to get through now.

“We always look on the positive. We know it wasn’t the best performance on the night but we have got where we want to be and that is what counts.

“It would have been nice to get the victory but you have to remember that they are a quality side. They got to the semi-finals last season and if you had told us at that start of the campaign that we’d get 9 points and make it through then we would have been delighted with that.

“The performance wasn’t great but then I felt that for the last ten minutes we actually looked as though we could still grab something. And then we kind of worked out what had happened with the reaction of the crowd and we are just happy to go through.

“It is probably the strangest night I have ever been involved in. It was incredible. It felt really weird.”

And McGregor was also pleased that Craig Gordon’s mistake for Salzburg’s second goal will be overlooked by the fact it did not cost Celtic their place in the tournament.

The goalkeeper held his hands up after gifting the hosts a second goal and McGregor insisted that the stopper deserved to be applauded for his performance overall.

“I was pleased for Craig,” he said. “It was a difficult one for him but he had saved us twice in the game and it would have been harsh on him if that was what the night was remembered for.

“There is no-one in our dressing room who would ever point a finger that way. He has been amazing for us and I thought he was excellent at times in the game with some really big saves.”

McGregor also believes that Salzburg can offer Celtic an idea of the quality that the club can expect to face after Christmas in the tournament.

“They are an indication of the quality that we can expect to face. People look at the Europa League and think that it is a lot easier than the Champions League but that isn’t always the case – Salzburg are an excellent team and that was a hard shift for a lot of us. They really kept their shape, had energy and legs, moved and kept the ball and they pressed us throughout the game. But that is the level that we want to get at and to compete in.

“I don’t care who we get next. It was just nice to get through and have that to look forward to.”

Meanwhile, McGregor applauded the Parkhead support for their vocal backing of Leigh Griffiths during the game. The stadium chanted the striker’s name in the 9th minute will a banner was unveiled which read: “it’s ok to not be ok. You’ll never walk alone.”

“We are all behind Leigh and it was nice of the support to get behind him and show their support,” said McGregor. “It is sad what he is going through at the minute but he knows that he has the support of everyone at the club and there is no pressure on him from anyone here. We just want him back at is best because there is nothing so important as your health. Everything else is secondary to that.”