Kasper Schmeichel won’t play for Celtic this weekend against Hearts.
The goalkeeper suffered an injury in Denmark’s clash with Portugal in their Nations League fixture and the national boss, Brian Riemer, explained the severity of the issue.
The 38-year-old has been chasing Celtic records this season and will be a miss for Brendan Rodgers and his side even if Danish media criticised Schmeichel for his showing vs Cristiano Ronaldo and co.
He has managed 24 clean sheets from 46 appearances for the Hoops this term but one former player believes Celtic can “get away with” not having their number one stopper between the sticks for the rest of the Scottish Premiership season if that’s how long he is out.
Celtic will ‘get away with’ not having Schmeichel thanks to their league lead
Paul Slane reckons Celtic’s lead at the top of the division is insurmountable and will therefore allow the club to use deputy Viljami Sinisalo to get by.
“How big a blow is not having Schmeichel? I think the timing of the season they’ll get away with it,” Slane said on Open Goal.
“The league’s done, but they’ve still got the cup which is going to be so important.
“The boy they’ve signed, Sinisalo, in the summer so maybe Rodgers was thinking he’d be the backup. Schmeichel is quite old so maybe it’s good to see him until the end of the season.”
Who Celtic will start with Schmeichel injured
Sinisalo has only played once this season in the Scottish Cup as Celtic hammered Raith Rovers 5-0.
The Finnish international didn’t have too much to do in that game but he was a safe pair of hands when called upon to do the basics.
It remains to be seen whether the 23-year-old former Aston Villa goalie will be as competent with the ball at his feet as Schmeichel is but there’s only one way to find out.
Celtic signed the player for £1million in the summer having watched him while he was at Exeter City on loan as well as all the way back as an 18-year-old during his stint with Ayr United.
John McGinn had a helping hand in Sinisalo’s move to Somerset Park.
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