Kasper Schmeichel’s shoulder injury a cause for concern for Brendan Rodgers, but Viljami Sinisalo is a more than capable replacement if he’s needed to step in against Hearts on Saturday as domestic football returns after the international break…
Good News?
“Fortunately, the images do not show anything abnormal,” Morten Boesen, the Denmark squad doctor reported last night after the Celtic keeper was injured making a save against Portugal in Lisbon.
Bad News?
According to Tipsbladet, Schmeichel was spotted this morning with his left arm in a sling near Lisbon Airport, casting significant doubt over the Celtic’s keeper’s chances of playing this weekend.
The Danish doctor said: “Kasper Schmeichel’s left shoulder was X-rayed last night and fortunately the images do not show anything abnormal. He is clearly in pain after a fall on his shoulder, so we are examining him further with an MRI scan.”
So there is a major cause for concern for Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after last night when Kasper Schmeichel picked up a shoulder injury in Denmark’s 5-2 extra time defeat to Portugal in Lisbon.
Mixed fortune for Kasper Schmeichel tonight 🇩🇰
He saved a Cristiano Renaldo penalty in Denmarks 5-2 aet defeat to Portugal 🧤
He also suffered an injury late in the match. He was heard on TV shouting in pain but did manage to play on.
Hopefully there is no lasting effect 🤞🏼 🍀 pic.twitter.com/JBnkDLIM8F
— Celtic Curio (@Celticcurio) March 23, 2025
The 38 year old has been in splendid form for both club and country this season and this set back will come as a huge blow particularly for Brendan Rodgers at such a vital stage of the campaign.
There is still hope though that it won’t be anything major as results of his scan haven’t yet determined the full extent of his injury, but it’s highly unlikely that The Great Dane will be risked against Hearts on Saturday afternoon at Paradise.
Hopefully it’s nothing major
Hopefully it’s nothing major, but even if it proves to be, we have a decent back up in Viljami Sinisalo. The Finnish keeper has only played one competitive match between the sticks for the hoops, but he has the credentials to cover for Kasper should the need arise.
He’s played plenty of first team football at a fairly decent level, and spent a few years at a big club in Aston Villa. He’s also been a part of the Finnish international squad these past couple of years, and has three full caps to his name. He’s more than an adequate stand in should he be called upon.
🇩🇰 / 𝙆𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡 – 𝙄𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙨
Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was taken to hospital in Lisbon after Denmarks match vs Portugal last night.
The 38 year old fell on his shoulder where he could audibly be heard in pain.
[@bolddk] pic.twitter.com/k6EPSV7lAE
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) March 24, 2025
Rodgers would have not concerns about playing Sinisalo
Certainly Brendan Rodgers would have not concerns about playing Sinisalo for the run-in matches in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup. Hopefully Kasper Schmeichel will be fine but it certainly seems likely that he’ll not be risked at the weekend with Viljami Sinisalo likely to start.
Kasper incidentally was injured saving a shot from a player who was yards offside. Had the linesman flagged there would have been no need for Schmeichel to dive and thus sustain an injury. Denmark had already used all their substitutes so Kasper had to play on in considerable discomfort and doing his chances of being fit for the Celtic match against Hearts no good whatsoever.
But what alternative did he have? The defeat means that Denmark are now in Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group alongside Greece – who looked miles better than Scotland at Hampden yesterday evening – and also Belarus. That’s an extremely tough group for Steve Clarke’s side who will start very much as third favourites, with even a play-off spot being a tall order.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
