You have got to feel for Celtic’s number one goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel.
After joining the champions of Scotland last summer, Schmeichel didn’t take too long to adhere himself to the Celtic Park faithful and fill Joe Hart’s boots with immense quality.
Things went so well that, within months of signing for Celtic, the 38-year-old was extending his stay in Glasgow and signing a new deal.
But the international break has proven to be a disaster for Celtic’s number one because Schmeichel picked up an injury on Denmark duty.
What has made matters worse is that he couldn’t get subbed off because no substitutions were remaining during Denmark’s UEFA Nations League defeat to Portugal, so he had to dive around in pain.
But whilst one door closes for one man, it opens one for another.
- READ MORE: Manager explains why Celtic hero Kasper Schmeichel trumps Man United star for Denmark captaincy
What John McGinn said about Viljami Sinisalo amid injury to Celtic goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel
Celtic signed Viljami Sinisalo from Aston Villa in the summer and many see him as the long-term keeper under Brendan Rodgers.
But, so far, he has been watching on from the wings, with one Scottish Cup appearance to his name, as Schmeichel has showcased his stuff.
Stephen McGinn spoke about Sinisalo on Tuesday evening and what his brother, John McGinn, the Villa captain, said about Celtic’s back-up goalkeeper quality, as he told Go Radio.
“Yeah, (he was highly-rated at Villa and you are no mug to be at Villa Park), he was performing well before the Euros at Hampden Park for Finland,” said Stephen McGinn.
“I know from when he signed for Celtic, John (McGinn) spoke highly about his attributes and probably wasn’t quite ready to be a Celtic goalkeeper.
“It might work, in terms of Kasper Schmeichel, I think he will play one more season and the timing of it might work.
“But the bit is for Celtic, it’s that game at Ibrox and it’s the Scottish Cup. If you are Aberdeen or Hearts, then you are looking for any sort of weakness. It’s easy to say it’s Celtic’s Treble, you still have to go and do it.”
Schmeichel’s injury not looking good
For Schmeichel himself, he will be hoping to be back on the field as soon as possible because his season doesn’t deserve to end this way.
You wonder how much more damage he has done to his shoulder by remaining out on the field for as long as he did.
Either way, Stephen McGinn feels that, given he was in a sling, then things aren’t looking good for the Danish star as he waits on his test results.
“Not good,” said McGinn on Schmeichel’s injury. “During the game, when you see an injury and people walking off.
“But it’s always a worse sign when people are leaving the ground in a boot. You almost, right away, know that this is a long-term.
“You see a goalkeeper leaving in a sling, you immediately think, what does that mean for the rest of the season?
“They have, obviously, bought Sinisalo in, a Finland international, and it might just be up to the young man to take his chance. He has had to wait patiently all season. The making of a Celtic goalkeeper is, can he step in and go and secure the Treble?”
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