Kasper Schmeichel will sit out Celtic’s Premiership meeting with Aberdeen at Pittodrie tonight due to a mysterious illness, Martin O’Neill has confirmed…
However, the Hoops boss expects the experienced Dane to be fit for Sunday’s crucial Scottish Cup showdown at Ibrox.
The 39-year-old was absent from last weekend’s dramatic 2-2 draw with theRangers, having previously been named among the substitutes during Celtic’s 1-0 victory over Stuttgart in the return leg of their Europa League play-off. That result sealed a 4-2 aggregate defeat and ended the club’s European campaign.
Schmeichel faced criticism for his performance in the first-leg 4-1 loss in Germany, where some supporters voiced their frustration by booing him. Despite that setback, O’Neill believes the veteran shot-stopper will be ready to reclaim his place when Celtic travel to Ibrox again for the Scottish Cup quarter-final.
In the meantime, the manager acknowledged that the recent run in the side for Viljami Sinisalo has provided the Finland international with a valuable opportunity to stake his claim as first-choice goalkeeper at the Hoops.
Previewing Wednesday’s trip to Aberdeen, O’Neill said via Celtic’s official YouTube channel: “Kasper is still not feeling great and needs time to recover so he won’t be available for tomorrow.”
“In terms of his illness, I’m hoping that the medical team will keep me right and I’m hoping he will be available for then [Sunday].”
O’Neill added: “It’s an opportunity to see him. He wants to be the number one goalkeeper here for the foreseeable future. I’m not saying he sees himself as that (the number one) but that’s what he wants to be. He has done very well in the games.
“At this minute, he’s taken over from a goalkeeper who has been a terrific goalkeeper throughout his career and one who still wants to do well for the club, himself and at national level to help them qualify for the World Cup.”
Viljami Sinisalo has the gloves and has impressed in both matches so far. He will be in goals this evening and with another decent performance should keep the gloves for Sunday’s trip to Ibrox. Kasper may well be back in contention for a place but may have to settle for a place in the bench.
His own personal needs, first team football as he eyes World Cup qualification with Denmark later this month, is and has to be secondary to Celtic’s needs and Martin O’Neill has a responsibility to the club to play his strongest possible team as we look to compete for both the Scottish Cup and Scottish Premiership.
Conor Spence
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